The Right Side of Rock Bottom
by Amasian
Summary: [Modern!Tokyo AU] Fate brings Sakura back to Sasuke, her ex who is now the biggest tennis star in Japan. How will she cope with being his doctor, rooming with his manager, and playing the Maid of Honor while he's the Best Man in their best friends' wedding? He's hard to ignore when there's a gigantic billboard of him shirtless next to her flat... SasuSaku, NejiTen, NaruHina, more.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Masashi Kishimoto is the rightful owner of all things Naruto and the term "Prince of Tennis" was coined by Takeshi Tonomi. Nope, this is not a crossover. In fact, I own nothing that's included in any of my chapters - and there are many mentions of 'real world' things - so here's my official proclamation!

 **Author's Note:** This story is set in the modern era, specifically in Japan, and I will be researching the locations to mirror real life as much as possible. Be advised that I am not a medical/tennis/sports management professional or Japanese resident so please let me know if I'm making any grievous mistakes. Also, I will save myself the embarrassment from attempting the Japanese language, so unfortunately there won't be any honorifics and the like. Thanks for understanding!

* * *

"NARUTO PUT A RING ON IT?!"

Dr. Sakura Haruno all but exploded, garnering judgmental looks from the other patrons at the cafe.

Her breakfast partner winced slightly at the outburst, trying to emulate a semblance of remorse, but her eyes betrayed her. The thought of changing her name to 'Hinata Hyuuga-Uzumaki' was too much to contain.

Meanwhile, the bubblegum haired woman wasted no time in pulling Hinata's hand closer for inspection. The diamond ring glittered majestically against the morning light filtering through the windows. Sakura could only imagine the time it took for Naruto to save his paychecks for this purchase. Despite being a kick-ass officer for the Tokyo Police Department, a government job still paid more in benefits than in hard cash.

"Oh my God, congratulations! I can't believe it. You. Naruto. You and Naruto. It takes him three weeks to crack a yakuza case yet three bloody years to realize his feelings for you, but now literally after a couple months of dating he pops the question!" Sakura sighed dreamily with a hand clasped over her heart. Her inner romantic melted into a thousand puddles of mush. "AH!"

"Thank you, Sakura, I can't believe it myself." Hinata blushed, in part because she was marrying her longtime crush and in part because Sakura was unperturbed by the weird looks her behavior was attracting. The bride-to-be adjusted her scrubs to give her friend some time to absorb the information.

Both women worked at the Tokyo Medical University Hospital and were frequent meal partners whenever their schedules allowed. Hinata was a skilled nurse in the emergency department, and it was actually due to both her and her fiance's profession that led them to meet. After a successful raid and subsequent drug bust with an affiliate of the yakuza, Naruto sustained a serious head injury that landed him in the ER. Hinata was part of the team of professionals that healed him and the two grew closer during his convalescence at the medical center.

"Sorry, but this is like a fairy tale," Sakura apologized, sobering up. "Hit me with some details, future Mrs. Uzumaki. Make me swoon like a fangirl. I've been shipping you guys since day one."

The pinkette perched her chin on top of intertwined fingers, giving Hinata her undivided attention. She tuned out the ramblings of the other diners, the chattering of the servers, and the noises from the TV above the bar. She envisioned herself watching a movie about the tale Hinata was weaving. It started as a comedy, with Naruto experiencing an unsavory time asking The Hiashi Hyuuga for Hinata's hand in marriage. Then, it turned into a love story of epic proportions when she transitioned into the actual proposal. The beach, the waves, the moon and stars. The miniature castle he built during their picnic by the ocean, the request to be the king to her queen, the ring hidden in the sand. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut and tilted back her head, "AH!"

"AH, YES!" The customers at the bar simultaneously shouted, pumping fists into the air. They were glued to the television like Sakura was to Hinata.

Apple green eyes narrowed in disapproval. "Hey, cool it over there!"

Some diners ignored her while others grumbled about double standards. Hinata felt like it was a choice time to distract her breakfast mate from causing more trouble.

"Sakura Haruno, will you be my maid of honor?"

The rosette covered her mouth with a hand and dramatically held up the other to signal a need for a moment to collect herself. She might have been a little dramatic, but it wasn't a question a gal heard every day! In truth, it was no surprise for Hinata to choose her. Although Hanabi was the nurse's younger sister, it was Sakura, with her tenacious attempts to matchmake Operation NaruHina, that precipitated the couple's first date.

The doctor curled her outstretched hand into a fist and drummed the tabletop emotionally. "You have no idea how much you just made my day. My week. My month! Of COURSE I will!"

Hinata smiled radiantly. "You are the unequivocal best."

Sakura's organization-prone anal retentiveness edged back to surface. "Wait, when's the wedding?"

The raven haired woman faltered immediately. "You aren't going to be pleased."

Sakura bit her lip hesitantly. She forgot to calculate Naruto's impulsiveness and fierce devotion to anything he attached himself to. "Don't tell me it's this month."

"It's in November."

Sakura opened her mouth to revolt but realized it was better than what she originally expected. Regardless, like the nurse foresaw, she was not pleased. From across the room, the bar attendants roared in fury, vocalizing her own desire to do so. "That's _two_ months away!"

"The timing is terribly complicated! At first Naruto wanted to elope-"

"-and I would _murder_ him if someone else didn't beat me to it!"

"I know. And… and I've always wished for a beautiful ceremony, which is why I'm positive you're going to be the perfect maid of honor. Between that and our obligation to my family and his friends... Three very important people wouldn't be available past January but we want to marry as soon as possible…,"

The newly minted maid of honor retrieved her glass of water and suddenly wished it would transform into hard alcohol. Unfortunately, she had to start her shift in about half an hour, and getting hammered was out of the question. If only it was her day off. As a side effect of rigorous schooling, Sakura was not above morning drinking. Still, amidst the thoughts of a bachelorette party, wedding themes, cakes, venues, guest seats… oh lord, guest seats. Hinata had an extensive family that was only rivaled by Naruto's amount of friends. Although orphaned, the blonde created a family of his own through his friendships with people from all walks of life.

Sakura shook her head as if to dispel the obstacles proliferating in her head. She was a devoted friend, damn it. And if her best friend wanted a beautiful ceremony, then God help anything in the way of her ensuring that.

Hinata could visualize the wheels in Sakura's mind spinning into overdrive. The latter was a human dynamite, and her involvement would up the caliber from whatever a professional planner could attempt. For better or worse, Sakura poured her heart out into anything she devoted herself to – a penchant not unlike her future husband. Their similarities were one of the many reasons they became fast friends.

"You'll have time and support, I promise." Hinata pledged, cupping her maid of honor's hands. "This means the world to me. You don't have to do everything, even though I can already tell you want to." Sakura stuck out her tongue in response to being exposed. "We're both tied up at the hospital and Naruto's perpetually in the field. We'll all work together, including Naruto's best man."

Sakura raised a curious brow. "And who's that?"

The nurse perked and leaned forward, poised to share an exciting secret. "You'll never guess."

The physician knitted her brows in confusion, unsure what prompted the sudden change in demeanor. "Okay… Kiba?"

"No, but hopefully he'll be one of the groomsmen."

"Shikamaru?"

"Uh uh, he's the other groomsman."

"Chouji?"

"Nope, but good guess. He'll be too busy managing the food since Naruto made an executive decision that Hakushu will be catering. One less thing on your plate, right?"

Sakura smirked at the pun but still pondered who would be splitting the task of planning a huge wedding.

"Do you recall how Naruto was orphaned as a little boy? Coincidentally, he was housed in our hospital's affiliate orphanage. And do you know who else was there? Who Naruto shared a bunk bed with and ever since became childhood best friends?"

Sakura did not have a clue where Hinata was heading, so she shook her head and took another swig of water.

"Well… you and I haven't met him yet because he's been busy competing abroad-"

"YEAH!" The bar attendants rejoiced collectively with the other patrons and restaurant employees. The combined joviality of the cafe piqued the interest of both women and they strained to see the cause of the commotion: the television above the counter.

"Oh, I wasn't aware he was playing a match today." Hinata commented, suddenly joining the celebration with enthusiastic applause.

The video zoomed into a man raising the head of his tennis racket triumphantly towards the sky. The volume was cranked up but Sakura could barely hear the commentator over the deafening ovation in her environment. "Give it up for Sasuke Uchiha, everyone! After a wild five set match against the world number two player, this unseeded prodigy just blew everyone away in the third round of the U.S. Open!"

The doctor choked on her water and coughed violently, to which Hinata gasped and quickly offered a napkin. Sakura accepted it and dried her blouse, still sputtering. When she brought her attention back to her co-worker, she found Hinata grinning proudly.

"That," lavender eyes gazed in the direction of the television screen, "is Naruto's best man. Sasuke Uchiha, Japan's very own Prince of Tennis."

Sakura felt her heart freeze and her stomach drop. That was a name she hasn't heard of in forever, a name she hasn't spoken of for even longer. That was the tennis prodigy who seemed to be achieving his dream, a goal he shared with Sakura almost a decade ago. That was the man who plagued her subconscious for years. That was the love of her life from another lifetime.

That was her ex-boyfriend.

* * *

"If you were planning to withdraw from a back injury, you should've done so before exacerbating the problem."

Sasuke glanced up from the couch at 27-year-old Neji Hyuuga, his coach. Although only two years older, Neji had the demeanor of someone much older, sterner, and wiser than twice his age.

"Not my style." He rebutted, shifting his focus back to his phone. His reputation and social media was skyrocketing through the proverbial roof thanks to his manager. Tweets about his favorable performance, news articles summarizing his victory and withdrawal due to a sudden back injury, and videos recording the day's widely speculated match circulated the internet.

As if on cue, a knock resounded at the door. Neji correctly guessed that Sasuke wasn't going to remove himself from the couch, so he strolled over to attend to the matter. Moments later, the young coach returned with bags in his hands and a brunette in tow.

"Hey champ." His manager greeted warmly. Her disposition contrasted starkly with the man helping her.

The tennis victor watched Tenten Long drop a parcel on the coffee table between them. She plopped herself on the couch adjacent to him and shrugged the professional blazer off her shoulders.

"It's cruel and unusual to make anyone wear suits in a heat wave like this." She complained, taking out the contents inside the bags. It was sushi, followed by sashimi, tempura, curry, rice, and a variety of other delicacies that reminded them of home.

Sasuke smirked and raised from his supine position on the couch. "At least you weren't decomposing in the sun for three hours."

"Once upon a time she did." Neji corrected, taking a seat next to Tenten and mimicking her actions with the bags in his possession. The woman grinned, memories of her own tennis career flooding back into mind.

"Hn," Sasuke coughed, looking sheepishly aside. Although also only two years older, Tenten was his manager, one time finalist at Roland Garros, another Grand Slam tournament, and a good friend. Neither he nor Neji voiced it, but they mutually agreed that she was the glue to their coach-and-player relationship.

The retired tennis pro waved it off. "I didn't want you to strain yourself anymore than you needed to. That was one hell of a match. Your legs must be dying."

Sasuke smiled smugly and agreed - it was one of his most difficult matches yet. "Japanese cuisine?" He gratefully accepted the plate extended to him. "New York is expensive for this kind of stuff. Isn't this above our budget?"

The bunned woman passed a pair of chopsticks to Neji. "Yeah, but so is room service," she snapped a pair of her own utensils and smiled brightly. "Come on, dig in, it's on me! We should celebrate your first time playing in a Grand Slam. I thought it was pretty successful, right, Neji?"

Pouring green tea into three cups, the stoic coach pursed his lips. "There's always room for improvement."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. That was the best he was ever going to get out of Neji Hyuuga. Why? Because also once upon a time, Neji was the rising tennis star of the East. He was a prodigy that engendered a tennis fever in Japan greater than Kei Nishikori ever did. Unfortunately, his promising career was truncated by a fatal car crash that took his father's life and the flexibility in his dominant wrist.

The easy silence blanketing the trio was suddenly punctured by Sasuke's cellphone. The familiar name of his childhood friend illuminated the screen. Swallowing his salmon sashimi, he swiped his finger to accept the FaceTime invitation.

"'Sup asshole," was Naruto's friendly greeting.

"Not much, shit head," was Sasuke's automatic reply.

"HI TENTEN! Hey Neji." The blonde shouted.

The tennis victor briefly flashed his phone to face the other occupants in the room. Tenten waved and greeted back in equal fervor while Neji nodded in acknowledgment.

Sasuke refocused the camera back to him and raised a brow at Naruto's giddiness. "Why do you look so suspicious? Who did you just kill?"

It was morning where Naruto was and, judging from his attire, he was getting ready to leave for the police department. "Is that how you should talk to the groom that you're gonna be best man for?"

Tenten's chocolate-colored eyes widened and she ceased chewing. Neji paused from drinking his tea and his perfect posture somehow got even straighter. Sasuke quirked a brow.

"What?"

"Hinata said yes!"

Nobody had to inquire what the question was that Hinata agreed to. Sasuke never met her before, but he received enough unwarranted pictures of the couple to know about her. Even before they dated, Sasuke deduced that his best friend harbored feelings for the dark haired nurse from the frequency he babbled about her. An off-hand question about Neji's family (ever the sensitive topic) confirmed that she was a relative; the pale eyes were a dead giveaway.

Tenten gulped down her food and an exuberant smile blossomed across her face. "Holy crap, Naruto! Congratulations!"

Neji was less enthusiastic. "Hinata has not informed me of this."

Sasuke was nonplussed. "Was she drunk?"

The police officer flipped off his friend while the recipient of the gesture propped his phone at the center of the table in favor of resuming his meal.

"Sorry Neji," Naruto started, scratching his head, "I proposed two days ago and everything's been a blur. Yeah, I asked her dad. No, it wasn't fun, but it's a happy ending all the same."

Sasuke raised a piece of tuna at his phone before popping it into his mouth. "Well, damn. Good job, you idiot. Try not to mess it up."

"This is super exciting news!" Tenten beamed, forgetting her food. "When's the big day?"

Naruto cleared his throat. " _Well_ , I wanted it as soon as possible but as usual, Hinata's voice of reason won. We're planning around the tennis calendar since you're all coming but we won't see a trace of you past January. Oh yeah, Tenten, Hinata hasn't had time lately from her recent double shifts, but she wants to ask if you'll be one of her bridesmaids?"

The brunette clapped her hands in glee. "Obviously!"

"Nice, I'll let her know, but she should be contacting you soon. Anywho, the wedding's tentatively on November 10th. I thought I wouldn't see you guys until later this month but the internet says you pulled out of the championship," Naruto frowned and squinted at his phone. "You okay?"

"It's only a back injury. I just need to lay off it for a little." Sasuke replied nonchalantly.

"In addition to scheduling a doctors appointment as soon as we land in Tokyo." Neji interjected, folding his arms.

"Whatever. Either way, it looks like we're coming back earlier than expected."

"Sorry I'm not sorry," Naruto shrugged, "But I kind of need your help planning this thing."

"He's not getting a free vacation just because you're marrying my cousin." Neji argued, but Tenten shouldered him.

"He'll have a lighter schedule now that it's off season," she reassured, narrowing her eyes at the long haired man. "But he'll need to work around sponsors and charity work. I'm already getting a ton of calls from companies and we could really use the support."

Sasuke remained silent. That was usually how it was: Neji handled his training while Tenten worked behind the scenes in management. The three of them were young and ill-supported, with meager financial means to maintain the heavy costs of professional tennis. Tenten retained some of her winnings from previous tournaments but, like him, was orphaned at a young age. Neji, however, came from a prosperous family yet had estranged relations with the majority of his relatives. Both older tennis players were practically working for Sasuke free of charge and often dipped into their own funds to get him to the top. Their faith in him added fuel to his desire to win.

"Regardless, you can see us as early as this weekend." Sasuke decided. His team regarded him with surprise. "What? It's not like we have any more business in New York. I'd stay longer if I was actually competing."

Neji was the first to agree. "Indeed. The earlier you seek treatment and begin physical therapy, the sooner we can resume training."

The sole woman groaned. "That's great and all, but I need to find a place to live. Gai moved into a smaller apartment months ago." Sasuke heard a gripe about housing expenses and how 'Tokyo charges you to even breathe in public areas.'

"Let me see if anyone I know has a spare room. I'd give you mine but this moron's gonna hog it," Naruto said, gesturing at his best man. "It shouldn't be hard since ya'll never stay in town for more than a couple of months, anyways."

"Thanks," Tenten smiled noncommittally, unsure if she felt comfortable intruding on someone she didn't personally know.

"Alright, well, I have to get to work," the policeman announced. "I'll talk to you folks when you get back. Do you need a ride from the airport?"

"Sure," Sasuke obliged, then switched off his phone.

The rest of the meal transpired without interruption. All three individuals were occupied by their own thoughts. Tenten, with her precarious housing situation and increased workload. Neji, with the inevitability of facing his uncle and the rest of the Hyuuga Clan. Sasuke, with the daunting task of returning to a city he left on less than desirable terms.

* * *

 _Seven Years Ago_

"I shouldn't be here." Sakura stated, but her eyes belied her true sentiments.

"You turned 18 today, Sakura. You're an adult now. It's your call." Sasuke reminded, taking a quick second to look up from clearing the kitchen table.

The high school senior curled the corners of her lips from the transient eye contact. For her birthday, Sasuke whisked her away after lunch to celebrate exclusively. He was busy with tennis practice all morning and she had promised her friends a birthday lunch date. In reality, both teens wanted nothing more than to spend the entire day together. Being students at different schools didn't help their situation. It was only during a coincidental field trip to Sapporo when fate orchestrated their meeting. On a particularly snowy day, the pinkette lost control of her skis and plummeted right into Sasuke.

He began their date by visiting the arcade, a natural habitat for his ever competitive and nerdy girlfriend. Then, they slowly wove through the windy cherry blossom trails at Ueno Park. There happened to be a small carnival in the area, so the couple spontaneously participated in the festivities as well. At one of the game booths, Sasuke won Sakura a slug shaped stuffed animal. Seriously, his girlfriend could not be any weirder - of all the cutesy plush toys available, she chose a freaking _slug_. When the sun began to set, the pair meandered over to their favorite restaurant and ordered dinner to go. They returned to Sasuke's apartment to feast since he was ever-so-keen on privacy and Kakashi, his guardian, was away for the weekend.

"Okay, okay, let me call my parents." She resolved, allowing her boyfriend to indulge her in full princess treatment. The girl didn't want to leave anyways, it seemed like an eternity since they were together.

Sasuke smirked in quiet approval and proceeded to wash the dishes. It wasn't that he had anything perverted in mind, but he genuinely missed spending time with Sakura. Afterall, it was tennis and swim season, and he was frequently out of town competing in tournaments while she was competing against local high schools.

"Yeah, I'll be back in the morning." Sakura confirmed on the phone, ambling circuitously around the living room. Mebuki Haruno accepted her daughter's white lie about her whereabouts and wished another 'happy birthday,' before hanging up the line.

Twirling a long strand of hair, Sakura skipped to her purse which contained the movie they picked to watch after dinner. Since it was her special day, Sasuke acquiesced to her unsurprising selection of a rom/com. The rosette was pleased by how much leniency he was showering her with – if only he surrendered that easily every other day of the year!

In her attempt to find his laptop to play the movie, an unkempt mess of papers on the coffee table seized her attention. Sakura had an awful propensity for organizing, and if she wasn't cleaning through her own belongings, she was rifling through others. It wouldn't be the first time she tidied up Sasuke's apartment that he shared with another male specimen, but really, how can they be such sloths sometimes?

The tennis prodigy emerged from the kitchen, drying his hands. When he entered the living room, he found Sakura deeply preoccupied with reading a letter.

"Why didn't you tell me that you received a full scholarship to play tennis for the University of California?"

A flash of irritation appeared across Sasuke's eyes. "Where'd you find that?"

"I was organizing the coffee table."

The boy glared at the piece of paper and grunted at his girlfriend's annoying habit of cleaning everything. But mostly, the letter. Kakashi must have been responsible for rummaging through the garbage. "I just got that in the mail."

"Okay, and when were you planning on telling me?"

He stalked over to snatch the page out of her hands. "Eventually."

"Eventually?" Sakura repeated carefully, "Eventually when you accepted the offer? Or eventually when you denied it?"

"Weren't we planning on staying in Tokyo together?" Sasuke countered, dropping himself on the couch and discarding the acceptance letter back on the coffee table. To his chagrin, the absence of clutter accentuated the importance of it.

"We never really decided…," Sakura trailed off, unsure what to say. "I just said I wanted to go to Tokyo Medical University because they have a phenomenal program that leads right into med school."

"Right, and I'm sure Keio University has a tennis team to help me achieve my dreams."

"This isn't America, though," the girl clarified, a mix of emotions rising. She knitted her hands together – an action mirrored by her stomach. "There's no competition here. Tennis isn't even a thing."

"You're not exactly an expert in the scene." Sasuke pointed out, but he knew exactly what she was implying.

"I know enough to say that you've already won all the tournaments that you're qualified for." She wasn't prepared to voice the second part of that statement.

"Whatever, can we discuss this later?" Sasuke reached up to pull the standing figure on his lap, but the girl was stiff and looked hesitant to depart from the subject matter. "I don't feel like talking about it right now. It's your birthday." He softly buried his head into the crook of her neck and felt her relax slightly. "We'll figure it out tomorrow."

At his promise, Sakura fully gave into him and looped her arms around his neck. Sasuke was right: they had tomorrow, the next day, the one after that, and beyond to figure out their future together.

An hour or so later, the movie ended pleasantly and they both got ready for bed in a comfortable silence. Soon, they were lying in bed awake, entangled, and content.

Sasuke was holding Sakura against him while she was using his arm for a pillow. He pulled her closer to him absentmindedly - her companionship was something he yearned for before he even knew he wanted it.

"It's 12:01," his girlfriend declared, pointing at the clock. "I'm not special anymore."

He dragged his fingers up her sides, chuckling at her violent reaction. She was heinously ticklish. "You're always special."

Sakura slapped his hand away and retaliated with her own attack. "Was that suppose to be an insult, sir?!"

Sasuke recoiled and pushed her away. "Who the hell picks a _slug_ out of all the options in the animal kingdom?"

Apparently, Sakura had been cuddling the stuffed animal and he didn't even realize it. She smacked him across the face with the plushie before holding it protectively against her chest. The tennis player wryly admitted that he was jealous.

"How dare you talk about Katsuyu like that?" Sakura admonished.

Great. It even has a name now. "I do what I want." Sasuke smirked, then lunged forward with an intent to tickle the girl into oblivion.

Sakura shrieked and summoned the stuffed animal to protect her, to no avail. She opted to fight fire with fire and started nipping at Sasuke's sides again. The couple tumbled around the bed in their respective attempts to gain the upper hand. Although he was a full foot taller than her, she concealed a monstrous power that he fell victim to anytime he pissed her off.

"No, no, get away!" She screamed, stomach sore from laughing. She wound up a foot and struck him hard in the stomach, propelling him off the bed.

"Oh shit, are you okay?" Viridian eyes widened, more in mirth than concern. One minute her drop dead gorgeous boyfriend was tickling her and the next she sent him flying to the floor.

"Damn," Sasuke wheezed, the wind knocked out of him. "You and your freakish strength."

Sakura peeked over the bed and found the tennis player sprawled on the ground, shirt heavily disheveled and sheets tangled over his legs. She dissolved into a fit of giggles and rolled off the side, landing not-so-gracefully on his midsection.

"You're annoying." He growled. Unfortunately, Sakura was too cute and too important for him to regard her with any real contempt, thus greatly reducing the severity of his glares.

Meanwhile, his assailant adjusted her position to straddle him. The city lights from the window imbued a soft glow on her slender figure and Sasuke added the word "hot," to his repertoire for describing Sakura. His vantage point was quickly making him uncomfortably flustered, though, so he sat up abruptly to push her off.

"Hey!"

Sasuke averted his attention to something else, anything - the lamp, the heater, the curtains - and yanked his blanket back on the mattress. "Get up. The floor's cold."

Sakura followed his orders but swung around to knock him back on the bed. He sat on the edge, slightly peeved at how easily a pint sized girl just tossed him around. In the end, he settled that she was merely catching him off guard.

Before the tennis player could recover, his girlfriend reclaimed her position back on top of him. She climbed on his lap and secured both thighs firmly on either side of his. In one fluid motion, Sakura captured his lips and pushed two hands against his chest, sending the two down on the mattress.

The kiss was passionate, unscripted, electric, genuine, and all the terms they used to describe their relationship. From the second they met, their chemistry was undeniable. That was two years ago and the sparks never left.

It was the slightest movement, but Sakura was definitely grinding against him. The same person who previously manhandled him was now shy about getting physical. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the girl's capricious behavior. Breaking the kiss, he beckoned her to stop.

Sakura's swollen lips were parted, eyes heavily lidded, and cheeks prettily flushed from their fervent activity. Both their breaths were ragged and hair equally mussed. Sasuke's heart was racing and another part of his anatomy was throbbing painfully now.

"Do you truly want to?" She questioned, leaning forward once more.

Sasuke tried in vain to look away since everything about her was breaking his resolve. "No." He admitted.

"Then...then don't. I don't want to, either. I have condoms with me."

The boy evened his breathing, fighting to restore his senses. "Yeah, so do I, but you're not ready."

Sakura ghosted her lips over his ears. The soft gesture sent shivers down his spine. "Don't tell me what I am and what I'm not ready to do." Her tongue traced the contours of his ears and started its descent down his neck.

It took an enormous effort on Sasuke's part to remain respectfully considerate, but she was driving him insane. "Sakura… I'm only a man."

Her breath was tantalizing against his skin and she sucked on a wickedly sensitive spot above his collar bone. "Then make me a woman."

At his suddenly rigid body, Sakura abandoned her previous niche and touched her forehead with his. "Tell me I'm special, Sasuke." She whispered.

His hands gripped her waist.

"I'd like to show you instead."

* * *

 **Starring:**

Prince of Tennis Sasuke Uchiha

Doctor Sakura Haruno

Ex-Tennis Star of the East turned Coach Neji Hyuuga

Retired Princess of Tennis turned Manager Tenten Long

Officer Naruto Uzumaki

Nurse Hinata Hyuuga

 _ **Secondary/tertiary characters:**_

Supermodel Ino Yamanaka, Photographer Sai Hino, Lawyer Shikamaru Nara, CEO Temari Sabaku, Veterinarian Kiba Inuzuka, Track Athlete Rock Lee, Actor Kankuro Sabaku, Politician Gaara Sabaku, Chef Chouji Akimichi, Researcher Shino Aburame, Accountant Karui Komatsu, Tennis Pro Karin Tojo, Physical Trainer Suigetsu Hozuki, Engineer Kakashi Hatake, Coach Maito Gai, Social Worker Iruka Umino, Computer Science Student Hanabi Hyuuga, Author Jiraiya Otsuka, Medical Director Tsunade Senju, Head Nurse Kurenai Yuhi, Chief of Police Asuma Sarutobi.

There's a couple more key players, but that would spoil the ending, ohohoho! Pretty please review :)


	2. Chapter 2

It was 7:00 AM sharp when Sakura answered the door to find a tall woman with two large suitcases hauling a tennis bag over her shoulder. Strands of hair unraveled from two symmetrical buns and the wrinkled state of her attire concealed nothing of a lengthy plane ride. Despite her haggard appearance, the brunette wore a wide grin that was either a reflection of her true personality or the delirium inherent in long international flights.

"Hi, I'm Tenten!" The person at the door unveiled a take out bag from the local breakfast cafe. "And I hope you're ready to feast."

"It's great to finally meet you," the homeowner replied affably, gripping one of the suitcases and relieving her guest from the parcel. "I'm Sakura and _damn_ do you know the right way to my heart!"

Tenten exhaled, relieved that breaking the ice with her new roommate was accomplished through food. She'll have to treat Naruto for saving her from the burden of hunting for a living arrangement. With her luck, she'd probably end up rooming with a sociopath. Even though Sakura was a stranger, the police officer had an impeccably good judge of character. "Wait, is that happiness I smell?" Her nose found the kitchen. "You brewed coffee!"

The shorter woman waltzed over to pour two cups. "Yes ma'am."

The fatigued traveler accepted the steaming mug in gratitude and practically inhaled its contents. Sakura gave her cautionary looks that presaged the dangers of third degree burns, but Tenten was operating on four hours of sleep, unlike her teammates who dozed off during their journey. In addition to being cramped in the economy lodge, Tenten held a Skype meeting with Canon Inc. at the crack of dawn. The 13 hour time difference was not in her favor, but at least she successfully negotiated a contract with the multinational corporation for Sasuke. She even secured a photoshoot later that morning to seal the deal and expedite a much needed payday.

Tenten allowed Sakura to refill her beverage. "Thanks for injecting some life into me."

The doctor busied herself finding matching plates and utensils. "No prob. Do you want to take a shower before we eat?"

"Definitely," amber eyes grazed over her watch. "But please help yourself first. I don't mean to be rude, but I need to get somewhere by 9."

"Didn't you just land, like, an hour ago?" Sakura queried, leading the way to the bathroom.

"Can't be helped." The taller woman sighed, gratefully accepting a clean towel before closing the door.

Sakura was nibbling on the last strawberry when Tenten emerged from the bathroom looking significantly better. "Sorry, I got a little carried away." She pointed guiltily at the empty bowl.

Her roommate slapped the air. "Sorry I got _very_ carried away with your hot water," she dropped onto a stool at the kitchen bar. "And sorry I took so long. Make up's not my forte but those bags under my eyes with this hair was giving off the panda vibe."

"Enough apologies!" The hostess declared, spooning omelette onto her guest's plate. "Let's eat and chat before you have to go. Tell me about yourself."

"Hm… okay…," Tenten hummed, vacillating her chopsticks back and forth while thinking of interesting facts. "I'm a sports manager, tennis fanatic, and Kyoto native. I'm adopted and, through that, have a world-traveling track athlete brother. I'm half Chinese, I'm a mean cook, I attended Waseda University, and my birthday's on March 9th."

"I'm a March baby, too! But I was born on the 28th."

"Aries," Tenten ascertained with a wink. "Your turn, tell me about yourself. How do you know Naruto?"

Sakura scoffed. "Who doesn't know Naruto? He's my best friend's fiance who's a coworker of mine at the Tokyo Medical University Hospital. Watching their glacial pace getting together almost led me to gouging my eyes out. I had to personally hurry the process."

"Hold up, you know Hinata?" The Kyoto local gaped. "I'm one of her bridesmaids! We've known each other since college!"

"Shut up!" Sakura exclaimed. "I'm her Maid of Honor!"

"This is crazy!" Tenten laughed. "Maybe that's why Naruto recommended us to live together. So, are you a nurse, too?"

The pinkette reached over the counter to retrieve a business card. "Nope, I'm a physician."

The manager read the list of credentials and a light clicked inside her head. "Wait, so can you check out back injuries?"

"For you?" Sakura shrugged. "Sure. Is it bothering you from the plane ride or something?"

"No, not me." Tenten shook her head. "I'm asking for a friend."

The health professional chewed her lip in contemplation. "I don't have any appointments around two today."

"Perfect!" Tenten snapped her fingers, ecstatic for accomplishing a score of items on her agenda. First the Canon contract, then the photoshoot, and now Sasuke has a doctor's appointment. She was on fire!

* * *

From Tenten's mouth came an exaggerated cat call. Sasuke drew his attention away from the cameras and found his manager smirking at him.

"You're late." He accused, adjusting the tennis net draped over his bare torso.

"Shoot me - I got caught up booking you a doctor's appointment."

Sasuke's cameraman tweaked his medium and glanced over his shoulder at the intruder. "Shall we take a break?"

She bowed her head in apology. "No! I'm sorry about that. I'm Sasuke's manager, Tenten Long. Thanks for squeezing us in."

The pale photographer decided that an intersession was needed, anyways. "Sai Hino," He greeted, offering a hand which she shook firmly. Wheeling around to address his crew, Sai bellowed, "Let's come back in 15 minutes!"

Sasuke intended to put a shirt back on but found a group of women congregating around it. He searched for Tenten for an out. She usually doubled as a bodyguard against fangirls, but she was avoiding him in favor of a telephone conversation. The rest of his break was spent half naked, moderately harassed, and subject to various cellphone cameras rather than Sai's fancy one.

"Hey, I just confirmed an interview with FUJI TV tomorrow at 10." The manager informed, saving the appointment in their Google calendar.

Sasuke ignored the new itinerary and mumbled, "Thanks for the support," before returning to the navy backdrop.

Tenten stuck out her tongue. That was divine retribution for the lack of sleep he wasn't inflicted with. Misery likes company, right? She turned to watch Sasuke posing in various stances wielding a tennis racket. Her friend was a brilliant athlete, but apparently his talent spilled into modeling, too. Perhaps it was his confidence, or maybe it was his chiseled body, or it could be his definitive facial features, but judging from Sai's positive feedback, Sasuke was working the camera.

"Child, your clothing's a little sloppy for this shoot, yeah."

The spectator knitted her brows in confusion and swiveled to see a long blonde haired man. "Oh, I'm not a model. I'm-"

"Oh lord have mercy, that make-up is unacceptable. Can someone rub that crayola off? Yeah, MOEGI?" He blew on the bangs obscuring half his face in impatience.

All things considered, Tenten wasn't privy on proper beauty procedures, but this guy was being ostensibly rude. "Sir, I'm-"

"Tenten Long, a retired champ, yeah, yeah, got it. Canon wants any and all Japanese tennis pros for their new billboard campaign and your client informed me that he wasn't the only one to fit the bill. The higher ups are doubling the payout for every model, so," the loquacious man pushed a girl with gravity defying pigtails forward. "Moegi's going to help you cash in big."

The brunette barely had time to register being shoved in front of a vanity mirror, but she definitely caught Sasuke's vengeful smirk. She swore to give him hell for the next week compact with interviews and public panels.

"Hey!" She protested, dodging the hands tugging at her scalp. "What are you doing?"

Unfazed, Moegi disassembled both neatly tied buns. "Deidara told me to curl your hair."

"I didn't consent to that! My face is the only problem!"

As if on cue, Moegi's boss seized Tenten's chin and tilted it for inspection. Before she could object, Deidara dragged a wet cloth across her face. The victim screwed her eyes and ripped her head away from its captor. "What is happening?!"

The cry of despair fell on deaf ears. "Hold the curlers, Moegi. This wavy hair is darling, yeah. Just pin back the left side and use your best judgment for her face. Find the gem on rack C - it'll be marvelous, just marvelous, then get her in front of my camera pronto; watching Sai steal the spotlight is a decline in my sanity."

The make-up artist adroitly brushed various elements of cosmetics on the grudging subject. The entire procedure lasted 45 painful minutes. When Tenten glimpsed in the mirror, though, she was pleased that the physical vestiges of sleep deprivation had disappeared. To Moegi's credit, she didn't go to overboard with make-up yet still augmented her model's features.

Tenten was not as pleased, however, with the outfit being forced her way. The once fantastic day was becoming wildly dysfunctional by the second.

* * *

"She's next door." Stated Sasuke in a matter-of-fact tone. He ducked to don his shirt when a wanton amount of perfume assaulted his senses. As much as he appreciated his fans, it would please him greatly if they quit sabotaging his clothing.

"I am merely observing the surroundings." Neji responded coolly.

"Right." Sasuke muttered under his breath, well aware that his coach understood the reference even without the mention of a name.

The newcomer backpedaled from his charge as soon as a pungent odor violated his senses. "Your scent precedes you and it is nauseating."

Sasuke refrained from retorting and gathered his belongings, motioning for Neji to follow into the adjacent room. He was going to get what's coming for him, anyways. They walked in silence to the neighboring studio.

"Give me more pizazz, birdie." Deidara clicked the camera.

His muse alternated positions with a racket in hand. The men were not expecting to see their tomboy coworker dolled up and garbed in a stylish pink tennis dress. Their eyes connected with her's and a sudden change rippled through her demeanor.

"Wow!" The photographer cried, amazed. "Ten for TEN, girl, work it, yeah!"

"Can we call it a wrap?" His subject asked, trying to hide behind the prop.

"I don't know what kind of model spirit just possessed you, honey, but we are _not_ stopping." The camera snapped a dozen more pictures in quick succession.

"Uh, water break?" Tenten decided to take matters into her own hands by skipping off the stage and mimicking Sai's earlier commands. "Let's come back in 15 minutes!" The ex-tennis pro jogged over to her friends, cognizant to Sasuke's devious smirk and Neji's stolid stare.

"What are you two doing here?" She snapped.

Sasuke imitated her previous cat calling mockingly. "Just seeing how you're fairing with Deidara. Shouldn't have been late. I picked Sai because I correctly guessed that he wasn't a complete psycho."

His manager cut her eyes at him. "You're going to hate your schedule this week."

"I hate it already," he admitted. "You're the one that insisted on hitting the ground running."

"In the opposite direction of a tennis court." Neji added in disapproval.

Tenten's fingers unconsciously reached up for her buns, only to remember they were taken out. She lowered her hand awkwardly to wrap a long thread of hair around her index finger instead. "Our banks are taking a hit due to pulling out of the U.S. Open. Canon's contract won't be finalized until next week, then the money disbursement takes another five days to show up in our accounts. In case you guys forgot, we're going to need some cash way before that." She noticed the slim fit suit Neji was sporting. "Where did you come from? Why are you here?"

"I wanted to be present for Sasuke's diagnosis before planning the appropriate training regiment." The younger man rolled his eyes. Of course that was his coach's purpose. "And… I just came from Toyota."

Sasuke and Tenten exchanged wary looks. Neji's family owned the second largest share in the Toyota Motor Corporation, the most lucrative automotive manufacturer in Japan. His uncle served as the Chairman of the empire. The branch that oversaw the company's finances is located downtown, which is also where the majority of the Hyuuga Clan were employed. Neji's profession clashed endlessly with his relatives' and served as a point of dissension.

"You're working there again?" The younger man questioned.

"It's to be expected," Neji justified. "I owe it to my family to be present if I'm absent for the majority of the year. Rest assured that there won't be a conflict of interest with training."

Tenten was about to reply when Deidara cut their conversation short. "My job just infinitely improved, yeah. MOEGI!" His assistant materialized out of thin air. "Please lead Mr. Hyuuga to the dressing rooms. Use your discretion but I want him in something white."

Like her, Neji was taken by surprise and escorted backstage, but he was far more graceful about it. Sasuke thinly masked his reprisal while the brunette sighed. How could she forget her charge's rebel side? Wasn't he, afterall, Naruto's best friend?

Deidara was pushing Tenten to her wits end when Neji appeared back into view. The female athlete broke her concentration to appraise the fruits of Moegi's labor and unhinged her jaw. "You barely did anything to him! Why is he unscathed?"

"Because he's perfect." The make-up artist answered monotonically.

Tenten declined to voice her agreement. "But he's only in different clothes!"

"That's triple the payout for three pros, birdie," Deidara reminded. "Okay young sir, get over there and show me some magic, yeah. I've seen your cover spreads before and know what you can do."

The stoic coach glided on stage. "30 minutes is all I'm tolerating."

The cameraman licked his lips. "That's more than enough."

Tenten felt a rush of relief and started exiting the spotlight. "Ten, hon, don't go anywhere. We're doing a series of doubles shots before I focus exclusively on Mr. Hyuuga."

She balked. "What? We're not even doubles partners! We're singles players!"

Sasuke snorted and received a hostile glare from his team.

"Yeah, I don't know much about tennis but I _do_ know a masterpiece when I see one. I can picture the headlines now: the team behind the Prince of Tennis. _The Dream Team_. This is going to be a work of art!" Deidara curled his fist zealously, sparkles practically shining off his eyes.

The manager opened her mouth to dissent but Neji grabbed her wrist. "Resistance is futile with this one. Just cooperate, collect our payments, and get to the hospital."

Tenten blushed and tried vainly to lengthen her skirt. Meanwhile, the camera lenses fluttered rapidly at the duo.

"Give me something fierce!" The blonde demanded.

She had a difficult time following orders with Neji clutching a racket next to her. They barely hit together anymore and she missed how his already admirable amounts of finesse and control proliferated on the court. Nowadays, he primarily devoted his time to training Sasuke. With his wrist injury, there was no way Neji could play at the level required for professional competitions.

"FIERCE, birdie, fierce! I'm asking for Ayumi Hamasaki and you're giving me PSY!"

She was about to retort that PSY _was_ fierce but her partner intervened. "Pan Pacific Open, 2013."

Tenten's mind drifted back to her first bid in a Women's Tennis Association tournament. The unexpected victory launched her into stardom. Although she was playing one of the best tennis of her life, the support from Neji, Lee, and Gai was paramount to her triumph.

The boost in confidence was all she needed to successfully finish the photoshoot with a bang.

* * *

Sakura was breezing through her routine obligations at the hospital. Everyone under her care was stabilized and it was one of the rare days at work where she could actually _breathe_. Strangely, the entire wing seemed to be deserted, barring resting patients. The only noise outside emanated from the rhythmic hum of heart monitors.

So, due to the pervasive silence, the sound of running footsteps was hard to miss.

Suddenly, Shizune, a seasoned surgeon, hooked a hand around the door frame and flung herself inside the room.

Sakura sprang from her desk. "Do we have a code black?"

The ebony haired woman hunched her back and gripped both hands on her knees. She shook her head and tried to capture as much oxygen as possible into her lungs.

"What's the matter, Shizune?"

"N-no time," her senior wheezed. "We ha-ha-have to go now. First floor. You'll see."

Sakura arched a brow in confusion as the surgeon vanished in a hurry. What was the emergency? She peeked out the door to find a dormant floor. Where the hell was everyone?! Locking her office, the lone woman headed for the elevators to investigate.

Even before the heavy metal doors opened, Sakura could hear the commotion on the first floor. Did she miss a memo about an event? A mob of people blocked her path upon entering. Any chances of finding Shizune now were obsolete. Employees, patients, and visitors congested the entire lobby. A ruckus filled the atrium; what happened to hospital etiquette?

"Oh my God! There he is!" Yugao from the oncology department screamed. The pinkette cursed her short stature and strained to see the object of her co-worker's excitement.

It took one glimpse to catalyze the adrenaline rush through her system. Sakura didn't need a double take for confirmation - she could recognize Sasuke anywhere. Unlike the last time when she froze at his television image, she bolted straight for the elevators. It was fight or flight, and the doctor had negative interest in any type of confrontation with him.

Her mind, breath, and heart were racing - was she hyperventilating or hallucinating? How was he there?! Didn't the sportscaster praise his victory in New York earlier that week? Sakura jammed the elevator button savagely but the compartment sat stationary on the 15th floor. Abandoning the lost cause, she sprinted for the stairs instead.

Bounding up the steps two at a time, Sakura finally reached her floor. 11 stories felt like nothing in times of crisis. She dove through the door and slammed it with her back, desperately trying to calm down. Sliding to the ground, the refugee reasoned the impossibility of Sasuke locating her. There were 18 stories in the building! Besides, it was highly doubtful that he knew she worked there.

Her panting was as erratic as the sudden knocks hammering from the other side of the door. "Sakura?" Called a feminine voice.

She tamed her coral hair and read her watch - 2:05 PM. It was probably Tenten with her friend. The knocks continued to crescendo.

"Coming!" Sakura announced, then counted to 10 and matched her breaths to compose herself; the adrenaline compounded with the bout of anaerobic activity was _not_ helping.

She started turning the handle but was promptly pushed aside by the door swinging open and a group dashing inside. As soon as the last person passed through the threshold, Tenten shut the door in a similar manner to Sakura minutes before.

"Holy shit," Tenten gasped. "I didn't know tennis was so popular here."

Sakura stood rooted in place. Four other people occupied in her office now: her roommate, her best friend, a man who she guessed was her best friend's relative, and her ex-boyfriend. It was the latter whom she couldn't tear her eyes from.

"Sakura?" Hinata asked gently. "Are you okay?"

Tenten gazed at her, too, in concern. Only the long haired man was keen on the intense stare held between Sakura and Sasuke. He cleared his throat.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." The stunned woman reassured, although her ghostly expression claimed otherwise.

"This is my cousin, Neji," introduced Hinata, confirming Sakura's suspicions. "You know obviously know Tenten, and this is Naruto's best man, Sasuke Uchiha! Sasuke, this is Dr. Sakura Haruno."

Sakura lucidly heard her pounding heart and aggressively prayed that nobody else could. She wasn't mentally prepared to see him in the flesh for another month!

Neji extended his hand politely and Sasuke followed suit.

It all made sense now. Tenten was Sasuke's manager. He must have injured his back, withdrew from the tournament, and returned to Japan for his best friend's wedding. His presence spurred the hospital into a frenzy, explaining the pandemonium in the lobby. How did she get so royally screwed by the six degrees of separation? Sakura reacted brashly after watching the victor on TV and had since sworn off media outlets to avoid him altogether, but now he was on the cusp of becoming her patient!

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Haruno." Sasuke's voice jostled her back to reality.

She studied him curiously. Is he pretending like they don't have history together?

After Neji, Sakura slid her hand into Sasuke's - a pithy action that she wished didn't send shockwaves coursing through her body. His touch was the most paradoxical mix of alarm, hurt, and comfort. Almost a decade transpired since her heart was in halves, but she felt like it was breaking into a million pieces all over again.

"The pleasure's all mine." Liar! "Feel free to call me Sakura. Any friend of Hinata's is a friend of mine." Where was this propriety coming from? Did that notion honestly apply to ex-boyfriends that triggered violent physiological reactions?

"Likewise." He replied smoothly.

"Not only is Sakura my best friend, but she's also one of the best physicians at this hospital. Don't let her age fool you. She was the only person in her cohort to graduate undergrad _and_ med school early before finishing her residency in record time!" Hinata complimented, proudly admiring her maid of honor. Great, there goes her opportunity to plead ineptitude.

"Thank you so much for seeing Sasuke, I know it was very last minute. He's both my friend and client so I'm extra worried about this kid." Tenten piped, drawing Sakura into a hug. Fabulous, there goes her excuse for being preoccupied. She already revealed her availability earlier that morning.

Neji agreed with a nod. "We would like to determine if and when he can resume training."

It seemed like everyone else was speaking while the once lovers scrutinized each other. It was almost a mockery for the couple to come face to face under such circumstances.

Hinata clasped her hands together. "Anyways, we'll wait outside while you conduct the examination, Sakura. Oh, Haku already inputted Sasuke's information in the system so you can pull up his files."

While the other occupants took leave, Sasuke and Sakura remained quiescent. It was like they were characters in a Western standoff, willing the other person to act first. Then from out of nowhere, the woman succumbed to doubling over in laughter.

Something about her mercurial behavior did not surprise Sasuke.

Sakura stifled her hollow laugh. "I'm sorry… this is just too much. I mean, are we strangers now?"

"You tell me. Do you know me anymore? Do I even know you?"

It struck a nerve how easily he turned the question on her. Obviously, a lot happened in the past seven years for both of them. For her, she wasn't some naive, insecure teenager. Now, she was an estimable woman of 25 who developed a hard resolve training under the revered Dr. Tsunade Senju. "I guess not," she granted. "But you seem to be doing pretty well for yourself."

Sasuke shifted on his feet and the attending physician remembered the purpose of their meeting. "Have a seat." She motioned at the examination table.

"You don't look like you're doing too bad yourself," onyx eyes surveyed the environment. "This is everything you've always wanted." Why did it sound like his every sentence had an ulterior undertone?

"Thanks," Sakura replied, then scrunched her nose at something noisome from the tennis star. "Why do you smell like a Victoria's Secret store?"

The tennis player remained steely impassive. "I had a photoshoot."

From behind her computer, she was unsure how a photoshoot would explain the more credible story of being drenched in a vat of perfume. Then, she recalled the hordes of people in the atrium and how the majority were women. Sakura's mind betrayed her and she envisioned Sasuke being swarmed by a team of models - a scenario that provoked her more than it should. Ignoring that thought, she focused on retrieving his files instead.

The doctor hailed every ounce of strength to proceed with the preliminary questionnaire. Despite herself, Sakura rearranged the normal order of inquiries. She was mortified to find out that she could answer most of Sasuke's questions: Tenten already tipped her off about his back injury, she knew he didn't have a clue about his family history, nor did he smoke, take any medications, have any surgeries, or suffer from any allergies - and the facts didn't change since their high school days. What she didn't know was…

"Are you sexually active?"

He fixed his attention on her bookcase. "Not recently."

Sakura still lacked Tsunade's acumen for deciphering answers but checked off the appropriate box, anyways. Regardless if that was a lie, being sexually active wouldn't lead to any conclusions about back pain. Unfortunately, her subconscious deviated and scenes of their countless trysts resurfaced. They were each other's firsts and took every liberty in exploring the new sexual aspect of their relationship together. Judging from his previous performances, however, it wouldn't be out of the question that he strained his back from amorous activity at all.

Sakura's cheeks grew hot at the racy images her traitorous mind displayed. She suddenly noticed Sasuke in the middle of disrobing and pinched her arm.

"What are you doing?" She squeaked, coughing to steady her voice.

"Hopefully getting a back exam." He raised a sarcastic brow at the vapid question.

Sakura kicked herself hard under the desk. She needed to get it together immediately. She overcame a spate of obstacles far more grueling than conducting a simple physical. She graduated at the top of her class, passed her boards, and continuously succeeded under Tsunade's tutelage; she could do this then escape out the door and put as much space between them as possible.

Striding over to the examination table, Sakura planted herself behind the tennis player, concentrating on the task at hand. Sure, her ex-boyfriend was tenfold more handsome now (an astounding feat), but at the moment he was, above all else, her patient. She took the bloody oath and was wearing a white coat to prove it.

Snapping on gloves, Sakura placed her hands on his broad shoulders. "Does this hurt?"

"No. The pain is further down."

The woman trailed her fingers down Sasuke's spine, fighting to compartmentalize a history that was etched on every inch of his skin. This was all too familiar. It was like rediscovering an old song that she knew every lyric to, all the stanzas about distant memories, both the highs and lows. "Relax," she instructed softly, feeling his constricted muscles.

The athlete obliged tepidly. "Right there." He signaled when her hands prodded his lumbar region.

Sakura applied pressure around the area and asked him to rate the pain.

"Five. It's only a dull ache when I'm not playing tennis."

She instructed him to stand, bend forwards, backwards, and a slew of other actions. They were finally making progress, which was why it was completely uncalled for when Neji and Tenten burst into the room again.

"Yes?" The pinkette questioned with a tinge of annoyance from the interruption.

"Sorry," her roommate searched the ground sheepishly. "The crowds outside were getting a bit unbearable. Apparently they recognized Neji, too. He was a huge tennis pro back in the day and now he's Sasuke's coach."

"Unbearable is an understatement," the tall man muttered, "How's the prognosis, doctor?"

Sakura wasn't about to disclose her patient's medical information but Sasuke insisted. "It's fine, I'm going to tell them anyways."

She nodded. "It's safe to say that nothing's broken, which is the worse case scenario. I'm also going to rule out a stress fracture, but you can request a formal scan if you doubt me."

Neji shook his head to decline her offer. "If there's nothing critical, then we can start training as soon as possible."

Tenten crossed her arms. "Are you serious? Sasuke probably needs to lay off demanding physical exercise for, like, the next month!"

Their charge glowered at them and pulled on his shirt. "Let Sakura speak."

The pair fell silent for the medic to continue. "Dull, lower back pain could be due to a number of reasons in your profession. I haven't read extensively into your files yet, but your condition might be caused by muscle imbalances or the strain from over-extension and flexion."

"We can double up on core exercises to strengthen your abdominal muscles, Sasuke. That should help both your stability and mobility. We can also develop your flat and slice serves so you don't have to depend on kick serves which strains the back." Neji strategized with a calculating look.

The brunette anchored a hand on her hip haughtily. "Does it cross your mind that brief lapses in training won't be the end of the world?"

"Will you guys be quiet?" The patient turned to Sakura. "What's your recommendation?"

"Actually, I advise a compromise between what Tenten and Neji are saying," she began, discarding her gloves. "You shouldn't rest more than two days a week since your body is use to constant exercise. However, you also shouldn't overdo it with resuming full intensity training, either. I do agree that you should incorporate abdominal-centric exercises and it would help to thoroughly stretch before any physical activity."

The coach frowned. "Would it be wise to consult a sports physician?"

"Not unless you want to pay extra to hear exactly what I just said."

Neji weighed the information. "So we can begin the day after tomorrow if we count today as the first rest-,"

The manager objected. "No! We're all awfully jet lagged and-,"

"Dr. Haruno suggested two days of reprieve." Neji countered.

"Sakura is fine." The pinkette clarified.

"Sakura can probably back me up by confirming that rushing into things doesn't help, either."

Sasuke massaged the bridge of his nose. His team was escalating the minor impediment into a larger problem.

"There's the Shanghai Open before the Australian Open-,"

"Neji-" Sakura began.

"That's in _November_! Did you forget what else is that month-"

"Tenten-" Sakura attempted again.

"STOP!" Sasuke exploded. "Shut up, all of you!" He pierced Neji with a contemptuous look, "One, stop using me as a platform to discuss your personal issues. Two," he shot Tenten a glare. "Stop planning everything for me because I'm a functional, autonomous human being because three," his eyes narrowed into slits beholding Sakura. "I fucking hate it when people make my decisions for me since I should be involved in the goddamn conversation in the first place!"

The sound of Sasuke slamming the door echoed through the office, paralyzing the three left behind in a stunned silence. All the ambiguity he shrouded around his dialogue was made explicitly clear with his last statement. Afterall, it was Sakura who decided to end their relationship seven years ago.

She never forgave herself... and he never forgot.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Get ready for more drama, folks. Sakura was merely in a state of shock due to their patient/doctor situation, but there's a deeper hurt coming your way later. Feel free to read deeper into most of what Sasuke says, there are definite subliminal messages.

Thanks for the warm welcome from the initial chapter! I implore all those who favorited and followed this story to show an authoress some love and drop a review or two for quicker updates. Chapter 3: the plot thickens, the cast increases, and more backstory is revealed!


	3. Chapter 3

Sakura and Tenten were two of many bar denizens participating in the Shibuya pub scene on a vibrant Friday night.

"Thank God money finally hit the bank. And thank God I'm living with you! My diet would've been exclusively instant ramen and boxed wine otherwise." Tenten ceremoniously thrusted a bottle of Asahi in the air. "A toast! For reminding me that neither is a food group, introducing this cozy little bar, and being roommate of the year!"

Sakura clinked her glass with Tenten's in amusement. They were four drinks deep and one of them felt it more than the other.

"You're also the smartest doctor in the world," the brunette hiccuped in afterthought. "Prescribing alcohol is the best medicine for aneurysms caused by working with an icebox and a time bomb."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. Any mention of Sasuke affected her when she was sober, much less when she could fail a breathalyzer test. Curiosity was about to kill the cat and she lacked the better judgment to refrain. "How's that going? Ever since the hospital visit…"

"Oh, everything's fine. Sorry I didn't warn you, but that's typical of Neji and Sasuke. They're like moody little boys!" Tenten blew on her bangs in exasperation. "One of them erupts, I do damage control and mention tennis, then everything's back to normal. Sasuke's like a dynamite, you know?"

Sakura nodded, comprehending more than Tenten knew.

"And… and Neji's like a snowman." The older woman rested her chin on her palm. "If Sasuke is fire, then Neji is ice. I don't know if Sasuke's going to burn out first or if Neji's going to melt. But as different as they are, they're both insufferably similar: stubborn, extreme, and… they're just two sides of the same coin."

"What do you mean?"

Tenten leaned forward conspiratorially. "What, are you interested?"

"No!" Sakura recoiled, color tinging her cheeks. Tenten reeled in laughter and the doctor needed to reign in the situation, fast. "I have a boyfriend."

"What?!" The instigator lasered in on the revelation. "We've been under the same roof for a week and you haven't told me? Details!"

The image of a raven haired man generated in Sakura's mind. "We've been tied up. Our schedules are the complete opposite."

"Name?" Tenten urged with her hands.

"Sai. He's a photographer."

"Sai Hino?" Copper eyes widened. "From Canon?"

"How'd you know?"

"I had a photoshoot with him before I went to your office! Correction, Sasuke had a photoshoot with him."

The pinkette wasn't nearly as plastered enough if she could connect the dots between Sasuke's whereabouts before their fateful encounter and this newfound fact. She stalled for recovery time by draining her Long Island Iced Tea.

"Sai's cute," Tenten raised her bottle to salute in approval. "And really nice, too. He and Sas-"

"So he wasn't the one who took that picture of you and Neji?" Quick thinking, Sakura. "There's a sexy billboard of you two above our metro station."

Flustered, Tenten unconsciously reached up to worry over the buns on top of her head.

"God, the photographer was a terror!"

Her discomfort prompted further prodding. This was perfect leverage to evade the spotlight. "But his eye was on point. You two look spicy together! I mean, you're hot, Neji's hot, people don't know if they want to be you or on top of you."

"Sakura!" The model berated, twisting away to hail vodka from the bartender. Sakura was privy to the escalation from beer to hard liquor. "We've been friends since college and now we're just co-workers." Tenten took a shot and pushed the second glass to her drinking buddy.

Sakura ingested the beverage and ordered another round in one fluid motion. She decided to be merciful and change the topic, offering alcohol as a peace treaty. "I didn't know you guys were pros."

"That was a long time ago." The manager sniffed the honey colored substance suspiciously. That's the final drink she'll ever accept from Sakura. "Before Neji injured his wrist and before we met Sasuke. Much simpler times."

Sakura stiffened again at the mention of the name, but Tenten didn't notice. She was pensively swiveling the liquid in her glass. "Everything's been overwhelming lately. The media's vying for Sasuke to be the first person from Japan to win a Grand Slam title. He's practically celebrity status with all the eyes on him! The pressure's on for Neji to coach Sasuke into victory but sometimes he gets carried away…"

She sighed deeply and sagged her shoulders further. "And I never knew management could get so demanding, but it's a huge part of the sports industry. Obviously the financial perks are tremendous, but so is the stress. I feel bad for adding more on Sasuke's plate because we're all exhausted but everything changed overnight! I haven't felt like this since-"

"Hold it right there." Sakura roped an arm over her friend's tense shoulders. "I took you out because you deserve a break. You've been working overtime since you stepped off a plane. Besides, the night's still young and we still need to meet up with the power couple. You're a kick ass person so don't doubt your abilities, but forget about work and treat yo' self!"

Tenten slowly grinned and nodded. "You're right. Thanks, Sakura." She knocked back her shot and contorted her mouth. It was just as vile as it smelled! "Gross, I take that back! What is this poison?"

"Sorry." Sakura coughed impishly and gulped down the remaining alcohol. "Come on! Let's get to the club early so I can wow you with my awesome dance moves."

* * *

Tenten couldn't recall the last time she laughed so hard that her stomach cramped. Sakura wasn't exaggerating about her skills. She yoked interpretive dance and spastic movements together into a unique genre of her own. Tenten honestly forgot what clubs even looked like; Neji and Sasuke never cared for them. Dancing with Sakura reinforced her gratefulness for having more women in her life again.

The lights basked the club in hues of fuchsia as the DJ switched songs. A catchy hip hop beat blared from the speakers and Sakura segued into a nostalgic 90's dance routine. And, despite her erratic motions, the dancer expertly balanced a tumbler full of whiskey. Tenten switched to milder refreshments since entering the dance floor, but her counterpart was still going strong.

Sakura mouthed something to Tenten but the music droned out her words. The older woman strained her ears hard to hear any attempt at verbal communication.

"LOOK!" The pinkette adapted to shouting one syllable commands and sign language.

Tenten wheeled around to see Naruto escorting Hinata through the sea of gyrating bodies.

"Hey lovebirds!" Sakura screamed, shimmying over to welcome the couple.

"We came to save you." The blonde informed Tenten behind the back of his hand, spinning his future bride and dipping her low. His partner giggled and allowed him to lead but Sakura smoothly whisked her best friend away.

"Uh oh," Tenten teased. "I think Hinata just left you for another woman."

"Oh _hell_ no!" Naruto cursed, clearing the surrounding area to rival Sakura's artistic technique.

Tenten and Hinata cheered for the competitors one-upping each other. The song dwindled out and the jovial nurse linked arms with her companions. "To the table!"

Naruto nodded and led the way, protectively holding her hand the whole time. Tenten had to treat Sakura similarly due to her distractibility with every musical transition into a new track. To the brunette's confusion, they ended up in the V.I.P. section on the second floor.

"Make way for Japan's next top dancers!" A commanding voice boomed, belonging to none other than Temari Sabaku. Her powerhouse presence was tempered by serving as the C.E.O. of Japan Airways. No wonder they were in a swanky lounge overlooking the entire club.

"Hey, lady!" Tenten pulled her college friend into a hug, "I haven't seen you since we signed that contract-"

"If I hear anything work related then I'm fantasizing your death." Temari interrupted, pressing a tall glass of Kamikaze into the newcomer's hands. "You look hot tonight, Ten. Almost as hot as that billboard above Shibuya's metro station."

Tenten synchronously blushed and frowned at the compliment. She settled on worrying over the free liquor, letting the businesswoman lead her further into the room.

The manager smiled warmly over her introduction to Kankuro. For as long as the women knew each other, Tenten never met the middle Sabaku sibling. Both Temari and Gaara worked in Tokyo, but Kankuro traversed the country filming as a mainstream actor. Brother and sister were playing pool against Shikamaru and Karui while Chouji snacked on an appetizer, spectating nearby. At the center of the room sat Kiba, Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, and...

"Sasuke?" Tenten blinked, perplexed. "If you're here, then where's Neji?"

He looked at her wryly. "Guess."

"We extended an invitation to Neji but he was adamant on working." Lamented a downcast Hinata.

Naruto consoled her affectionately. "Sorry, babe. I tried to persuade him."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You're obviously the wrong person for that job."

Tenten involuntarily stomped her foot. This was absurd. "It's almost midnight on a Friday!" She downed her concoction and slapped it on the table. "Somebody here is in charge of getting Sakura home tonight." Her client was the first person her eyes fell on. "Thanks, Sasuke. I gotta go."

Her roommate quirked up in alarm. "Where are you going?"

"I'll be back later!" Tenten waved, ambling through the door and descending the stairs. She unsheathed her phone and jogged out of the club, away from the clamor. It took two seconds to thumb in Neji's phone number and another three for him to pick up.

"Good evening." Greeted a baritone voice.

"Is it?" The vexed woman gritted. "Does being a hermit in your office constitute as a good evening?"

"Depends," Neji answered without missing a beat. "I'd say so if the other option involves being deafened by music, among other travesties."

"That's not the point!" It was true, though. Clubs were basically Neji's personal hell. She chortled at the thought of Naruto trying to persuade his future in-law otherwise. "What are you doing? Next year's fiscal reports? Let's go somewhere."

"It's late."

"Yet you're still working. I've been stressed out of my mind and I'm sure you feel it, too. At least I have a roommate to smack some sense into me, unlike somebody else I know. We all deserve a break."

"Tenten…"

So stubborn! "I'll jump into traffic."

"This again?" His exasperation was audible.

"You don't call my bluff when I'm sober," she warned, remembering the previous time the ultimatum was issued, "Do you really want to challenge me when I'm drunk?"

"You're insane."

"And?"

A defeated sigh was heard on the other line. "Where are you?"

A victorious grin bloomed across her face and shriveled in the same second upon seeing the 'sexy billboard' everyone was referring to. "Uh... I'll come to you instead."

* * *

"I want this wedding to end all weddings."

Sakura nodded blankly as Naruto initiated a play-by-play game plan about the marriage ceremony. If she wasn't busy untying the knots in her stomach, she'd hit him for thinking that their environment was opportune for the topic.

"Is this really the best time and place, you moron?" Sasuke voiced her sentiments, taking a swig from his bourbon neat.

The groom-to-be growled, but Hinata intervened. "Perhaps we can plan over breakfast tomorrow. Will you be available, Sasuke?"

The best man nodded.

"Great. And Sakura, are you working second shifts now?"

The maid of honor was helping herself to her best friend's bottle of wine. Hinata always had her back. "Yup!"

"Excellent, it's a date! Speaking of which, how's Sai doing?"

Sakura balked. Helping or hurting, Hinata?!

Kiba chose that worst moment to contribute to the conversation. "Yeah, doc, I forgot that you contracted a monogamous relationship. Has it been a month yet?"

Outwardly, Sakura was smiling amicably, but inwardly, she was devising plots to dismember the veterinarian. "As of yesterday. And he's been busy with work."

Jade eyes flickered over the rim of her glass. Sasuke was both neutrally unreadable and eerily quiet.

"Quick side note," pipped Naruto, "Do you think Sai can get people from Canon to take pictures at the wedding? Obviously he's our top choice, but it'd be unfair to steal loverboy away."

Unbeknownst to others, Sasuke narrowed his eyes a fraction of an inch. Sakura was too absorbed wallowing in the vast amount of awkwardness created by her friends.

"Ah, Sakura…," Hinata began in concern. "Maybe you should slow down… you're finishing the entire bottle."

The pinkette froze, realizing that she desiccated the formerly full decanter of Pinot Noir. "Oops! I'll pay for that and get another one-"

"Don't challenge Sakura in a drinking contest," Naruto warned his best friend. "She's a professional drinker."

The physician opened her mouth to refute but Temari's outrage filled the lounge.

"Well, _Naruto_ proposed after THREE MONTHS of dating!"

Everyone's attention synced to the drama between Temari and Shikamaru. It was common knowledge that the length of their six year relationship was a point of conflict between them. They made an interesting couple: one half was a high-strung no-nonsense business viper while the other half was a hands-off genius who hid behind a sloth-like facade.

Although an adept lawyer, Shikamaru was defenseless against his girlfriend. "But-"

Sakura spotted an opportunity to escape. Unfortunately, it came at his expense. "Naruto also serenades Hinata at work, surprises her with flowers, _and_ dances with her in public." Sakura had no idea if Shikamaru did any of those already but she was willing to take a safe bet that the lackadaisical guy did not.

The pony tailed man pierced her with a virulent glare. Naruto, too, because now all the men were conspiring to knife him for setting the bar so high. Everyone else regarded Sakura in confusion except for Temari, who only saw red for her beau.

"Come on, ladies!" The C.E.O. pivoted in her intimidating heels and vanished out the door with Karui close behind.

Sakura grasped Hinata's hand. "I'll go buy you something at the bar-"

"Sakura Haruno," Shikamaru glowered, massaging his temples. "You are shit out of luck with malpractice lawsuits."

"I'll make it up to you later!" The medic promised, fleeing to the first floor with her best friend in tow.

* * *

Sasuke absconded the V.I.P. section as soon as Kiba and Kankuro invited the strippers. Naruto and Chouji had since blamed Shikamaru for his role in their partner's disappearance and embarked on a retrieval mission for the women. That was 40 minutes ago.

Overall, the tennis celebrity felt indifferently about clubs. But his idiot roommate practically evicted him and snatched the spare keys, escaping to the car before Sasuke even noticed being locked out of the apartment. He was counting down the days until the construction on his new home in the Roppongi district was finally complete.

His opinions for clubs faltered, however, when he spotted Sakura dancing without a care in the world. From the vantage point upstairs, it was easy to find the commotion she and Naruto created with a band of people encompassing them. The fun she was having was palpable, as was her discomfort when she discovered him in the lounge.

At least he was prepared this time. Last week, every minutiae of emotion control that Neji drilled into him disintegrated at the sight of her. To say that it was unexpected to have Sakura as his doctor was an understatement. Almost a decade transpired since she ended their relationship, so he took liberty to erase their history together.

In many ways, they were strangers: Sasuke buried his past underneath his tenure abroad, new friends, career and become a different person. It was aggravating that despite her shorter hair, prestigious degrees, and new boyfriend, Sakura remained a breathing oxymoron.

Of course, he never truly forgot her, but he was over her and has been for years. Sakura was just another acquaintance now. His present and future had no room for the past. He had more pressing concerns than an ex-girlfriend from high school… which is why it's discomforting that she still confounded him.

He needed another drink to clear his thoughts. Sasuke navigated to the bar, thankful for the black lights obscuring him and the scarcity of tenants at the counter. Only a blonde woman and a tall man next to her occupied the table but they were sitting on the opposite side.

The bartender nodded off with his order and Sasuke nursed a new beer in seconds.

"Hey." A sultry voice rasped, its buxom owner slinking next to him.

Drumming his fingers against the counter, the tennis player debated the advantages between ignoring the woman or vocally expressing his disdain. "Hn," was the fair compromise.

"Are you here alone?" She leaned closer, accentuating her cleavage.

Sasuke averted his vision to anything other than her unsolicited advances and noticed that the blonde across the way was experiencing a similar situation.

The intruder breathed huskily. "You wanna to come back to my place-"

"I think you have a better chance in seducing me." A slurred voice suddenly interjected. Sakura unexpectedly flopped down on a stool at the center of the bar.

"What?" The other woman spat haughtily.

"You're going at it all wrong," the pinkette explained, "He's not into blatant PDA. But don't worry, the tough guy thing is only a front. Give it a little time and he'll stop ignoring you. Shockingly, he's pretty nice when he acknowledges your existence. Maybe you haven't gotten that far yet, but just hang in there." She chopped the air with her hands for emphasis. "Patience. Is. Key."

Sasuke studied Sakura in bemusement. She was actually being serious. A sideways glance revealed that his pursuer was left antagonized. "Well my patience is running low-"

"No!" The love doctor slammed a fist on the table. "Don't give up! His attitude might tell you to screw off, but stay strong! Also, I recommend wearing something red next time-"

"Okay, bitch-"

The intruder ceased talking by a pair of dangerously cut obsidian eyes. She threw a nasty scowl at Sakura and stalked back into the crowds.

The sedentary woman was oblivious to the animosity as she beckoned for another drink, "I'll have a-"

"Water." Sasuke intercepted.

Sakura whipped around to rebuke but immediately regretted doing so. Her temples was under duress. "Why do you care what I drink?"

"Why do you care who I go home with?" His question silenced her. "You have a new boyfriend now."

It seemed like a century passed before the woman stammered, "W-well, I mean, I was giving her advice!" She slouched, sipping on a cup of water dejectedly. "But you were tapping your fingers on the table and you always do that when you're annoyed…"

In spite of himself, Sasuke smirked. "Isn't it the guy who saves the girl from unwanted attention in your awful chick flicks?"

It was. Sakura hung her head in admission and smiled ruefully. Their nostalgic moment was cut short when all of a sudden, she vehemently hollered, "HEY!"

Sasuke snapped his eyes in the direction she lunged for. The blonde across the bar slumped over the counter and the drink in her limp hands spilled haphazardly. Sakura was supporting the woman a second later, checking her vitals.

"That son of a bitch drugged her!" She swore in fury. "Sasuke, help!"

He was already halfway there before she finished her plea. Sakura transferred the victim into his arms and launched into a tirade with the bartender.

"It's not his fault," reasoned Sasuke, inspecting the entire situation with a deep frown. "It's the asshole who spiked her drink."

"Right... Where the fuck is he? I'm going to find him and kill him! Where's Naruto?"

"No idea. It's impossible to find anyone in this chaos, let's just get this girl to the hospital."

Sakura continued to inspect the woman but the club's atmosphere was not conducive to the task. "No, the hospital's a mess on Friday nights. I'll take care of her." Sasuke gathered the patient into his arms and made way towards the exit. Sakura besought the bartender to file an incident report before trailing along.

Outside, Sasuke had hailed a taxi and deposited their charge in the backseat. The doctor jumped into the front, aware of the questionable look the cab driver was sending their way.

"Where to?"

Sakura ignored her raging headache and gave her address. Fortunately, she lived nearby and the journey was brief.

Sakura paid the fare as Sasuke freed the unconscious woman from the cab. The trio arrived at their destination in silence with only minor stumbling. When they stepped onto the elevator, however, the unintended consequences of Sakura's decision started to sink in. She was about to invite her ex-boyfriend into her home which, despite the gravity of the situation, was unsettling. She didn't think Sasuke would actually follow through with Tenten's orders or come to her aid.

Breaking the silence, the blonde shifted against Sasuke's chest and groaned. Her eyes strained under the harsh elevator light and a captivating shade of blue struggled to focus on the man carrying her. "Pr… Prince Charming?" She whispered, then turned her gaze to Sakura. "And... and a martian? Your forehead is gigantic…"

Sakura huffed incredulously as the stranger succumbed to another wave of unconsciousness. What the hell! She was the true heroine - but Sasuke gets the glory while she gets insulted?!

The tennis player snorted at her fuming and gestured that the elevator reached her floor. Together, they strode a short trip down the hall to her flat. Unlocking the door, Sakura found her abode in pitch darkness.

"Tenten?" She called, switching on the lights. No response. "I guess she's still out."

The homeowner waved at Sasuke to enter and follow into her room. "She can stay in my bed tonight." Sakura decided, pointing at the bed. The physician instructed him how to appropriately maneuver the victim onto the mattress while she left to fetch water, aspirin, tissues, and a trash can. Luckily he was there to assist because their patient was taller than her by a foot!

When all was said and done, they wordlessly exited into the living room and a thousand things crept back into Sakura's mind. A visceral feeling seeped into her bones, indicating the presence of alcohol had officially left her system.

"Hey, um," her brain was stumbling over forming sentences and comprehending the current predicament, "Do you want anything to drink?"

Sasuke didn't bother to turn around. "No."

"Oh, okay, how about something to eat?"

"No."

Why was he suddenly so cold? They were fine as a team just now. She was just trying to be polite and express her gratitude. "Wait!" He paused but still didn't face her. "We should talk."

"About what?" Sasuke finally rounded on her and the acuteness in his eyes betrayed the stony expression on his face.

"A-about...," Sakura felt the oxygen being siphoned out of her lungs. "H-how you're doing?"

The man straightened his posture and in an instant, his glare dissolving into a blend of undefinable emotions. "Is that all?"

Sakura nodded weakly, dazed from the shift in atmosphere.

"I'm fine." Four long strides was all it took for Sasuke to reach the door.

He emerged into the courtyard, simultaneously frustrated that the brisk air didn't attenuate his turmoil and for being frustrated in the first place.

Somehow, he was unprepared for her. Again. An hour with Sakura revived every detail that he intrinsically knew about her. Memories of her, about her, and with her were merely buried over time but it was all still there. Dormant.

If Sasuke was honest with himself, then he remembered everything. Not just their disastrous end - but her tendency for heroics, his penchant for teasing her, her impeccable organization, their easy teamwork, her jasmine scent, his…

Sasuke couldn't unsee the object nestled between Sakura's pillows when he helped their charge into bed. Time was not kind to it, but the stuffed animal in the unmistakable shape of a slug was his birthday present to her when they were once lovers.

It was the damnedest thing of all that he still remembered its name was ' _Katsuyu_.'

* * *

 _Seven Years Ago_

' _Hello Sakura, this is Kakashi. Can you meet me at the Tokyo Medical University Hospital by six? See you then._ '

The 18-year-old barreled through the hoards of 9-5 workers with the voicemail forever looping in her head. Around her, the sun was in the midst of descending behind the skyscrapers and streaking the land with harsh shadows. A small part of Sakura noticed that the mayhem of Tokyo's rush hour was a physical manifestation of how she felt inside.

Sasuke's guardian called her during swim practice and she didn't discover the message until exactly 5:23 PM. She barely bothered changing, opting to dash out of the school instead. Kakashi rarely ever phoned her and if he did, it was always about Sasuke.

Sakura furiously blinked back tears, troubled that her boyfriend might be in danger. Her mind started to race faster than her legs were carrying her, fabricating one scenario after the next. He was bound for a tennis tournament in Nagoya and the bullet train was the world's most advanced transportation system, so accidents couldn't happen, right?

But what if Sasuke didn't arrive at the station to begin with? Did something happen at school? His last text was sent to her that morning, but they both had exams, so that was normal. But if he was injured? Then his teachers would contact Kakashi, which probably prompted the gray haired man to call.

Sakura berated herself for jumping to conclusions. She aspired to be a doctor, and doctors don't cry at uncertainties. Drying her eyes, she focused on being strong for her boyfriend and echoed the mantra until she saw the destination.

It was approximately 5:57 PM when she arrived at the hospital's automatic doors. A tall, handsome man exited the atrium and Sakura felt a wave of dread wash over her body. Kakashi was early. This was unprecedented and it must have been done with purpose.

"Don't worry," he began, discerning the wildness within her, "Nothing's wrong with Sasuke. I'm sorry if I was curt on the phone, but I was in the middle of a project."

Sakura crumpled her back in a combination of relief and exhaustion. Sasuke's guardian steered them outside until they were alone. After several moments of heavy breathing, the pinkette addressed him solemnly. "Something's still wrong. Are you okay?"

Kakashi noticed that Sakura was insightful enough to skip pleasantries with him and pursed his lips in a tight smile. He returned the gesture and glanced at the infirmary. "Sasuke tells me that you want to study medicine. Specifically, at this hospital's university."

Sakura knew at once the objective of their rendezvous. In the back of her mind, she was waiting for this conversation.

"I wholeheartedly support that." Kakashi stood up and offered his hand. "Will you accompany me somewhere? I want to show you something."

She nodded slowly and the pair crossed the lawn in silence. A few minutes down the road led them to a gated brick building with a tennis court. "Welcome to the Tokyo Medical University Hospital's affiliate orphanage. This is where I met Sasuke six years ago."

Sakura dropped her jaw, speechless. She knew her boyfriend was adopted, but Sasuke always guarded his childhood - whether out of sensitivity or ignorance, she didn't ask. Her only knowledge included that he was orphaned since birth and his first possessions were a fan and a tennis ball.

Kakashi's eyes roamed the empty courtyard. "My life with Sasuke started with the loss of two very close friends. Their death left me in an emotional purgatory that crippled me longer than I'd like to admit. We who survived them coped in different ways: some traveled the world, others drowned themselves in work, and I became a recluse."

The man pulled his scarf to protect his face against the wind. "One day, the friend who traveled, Gai, returned to Tokyo with two young kids. You'll have to imagine my shock when he introduced them as his children. It's not every day that someone comes home with a permanent human souvenir - much less two - but Gai always fancied extremes. The biggest surprise, however, was how whole he became, something none of us bereaved were for ages."

Sakura thinned her breathing. This story felt like a secret not meant for her ears. The contents already sounded more private than subject they spoke of in the past.

"Gai left an impression. One of my other friends, Iruka, looked into adoption shortly after. His search led him here, where he became attached to the most rambunctious brat. The official papers were completed in a day - being a social worker was a plus for Iruka - and he was all set to take the kid home."

Kakashi's eyes wrinkled in a smile and the tone of his voice bore nothing but nostalgia. "But as much as they wanted to be together, the brat rebelled from abandoning his roommate. Ultimately, Iruka figured that the only way to adopt this child was if he got the other boy into a good home, too. Unfortunately, his salary couldn't provide for two children, so he came to me instead."

"I flat out denied him. I was in no state caring for another human being- I barely cared about myself. But after weeks of persistence, I finally relented to a short visit. And that was when I first met Sasuke. Before we even spoke, I saw him playing tennis right here," the raconteur pointed accordingly, "And I apologize for the cliche, but I knew immediately that he was something special. It was natural to assume he'd achieve something great one day; watching him was inspiring. He won both the game and me over within the hour."

"I remember the first thing Sasuke said to me was how he'll turn his dream into a reality by becoming the world's best tennis player. Obviously, his type of personality didn't make him a favorite at the orphanage, so he was bounced around different foster homes. Despite everything, though, tennis was the one thing that remained constant in his life. Turns out, he's more of a punk than I predicted... and that endeared him to me even more. His drive was contagious and it compelled me to live again. He consented to adoption, Iruka helped me with the process, then soon I became his guardian."

"And the rest is history. As Sasuke fought for his passion, I resumed mine. I owe him and promised myself that I'd help fulfill his ambitions. That's why we're here." Kakashi fully turned his body to his listener. "I implore you, Sakura, to break up with Sasuke and allow him to pursue his goals. You're holding him back from his potential. He is deliberately passing up an opportunity to compete for one of America's top collegiate teams just to stay with you."

Sakura felt tears prickling her eyes again. Hearing all her fears voiced out corroborated the truth. She hated that, deep down, she was aware of her influence but chose to live in denial anyways. Here was a guy who continuously helped, cared, and loved her yet she was toxic to him. How dare she even claim to love him back despite all her selfishness of holding on?

"You aren't intentionally hindering him," Kakashi continued, "But doing nothing is causing the same detriment. This is in his best interest, but he won't listen to me."

She felt a chasm open in her stomach and took a step back to steady herself. Ever since her birthday, the couple mutually ignored the promise of discussing their future like it never happened. She was too scared to broach the topic again, but would it have even mattered? In that moment Sakura realized that she was still a stupid little girl - what would she know about Sasuke's best interest?

Kakashi sighed. He didn't want to do this, but it was for the common good. "Sasuke's too damn stubborn when it comes to you, so please, do the right thing and end the relationship. Growing up means making difficult decisions. Do what he did for me and give him a chance to chase his dreams while you follow yours."

The man bowed his head before leaving. He had no doubt that Sakura would become a superb doctor in the future with her sharp intellect and human empathy. However, she needed to learn from her own self-development and the lesson of sacrifice, first.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

PSA: always have each other's backs especially in situations when you think someone is a victim of a date rape drug. That shit is not okay.

Thanks again for all the reviews! Shout out to all the guests who commented since I can't message you personally! I'm astounded at the amount of followers and favorites and would love if ya'll drop a review, too :) Stay tuned for Chapter 4: new friends, old friends, and more times together.


	4. Chapter 4

It was doubtful that Sakura had the opportunity to reach R.E.M. sleep before a banshee wrenched her from slumber.

"WAKE UP!"

Simply opening her eyes was a tremendous undertaking much less fathoming anything else - like why her mangled form on the ground was being burdened by excess weight.

"Unhand her, Barbie! That's excessive!"

Tenten's voice appeared in concert with a raging headache. Sakura gasped in pain as a brusque force yanked her upwards into a tight hug.

"I love you!" Her assailant proclaimed, flinging her side to side.

When the onslaught ceased, the victim dared to crack open an eye. She came face to face with the same set of slate blue irises from the night prior, but this time, the woman pulled her hair into the iconic high ponytail pictured across every fashion magazine in Japan.

"Ino Yamanaka?" Sakura inspected their intimate position in disbelief. She was sitting up with the famous woman straddled on top of her, their faces inches apart. "What kind of messed up alcohol induced dream is this?"

Tenten leaned against the doorway. "It's not. All six foot tall supermodel is 100% real and practicing for her first audition in the porn industry."

Ino licked her lips licentiously, snaking an arm around her prey to bind them closer together. "Who said anything about practicing?" Tenten huffed in mock exasperation and Ino batted her long lashes. "Kidding. Who said anything about first? Kidding again! Okay, never mind, this is how rumors start." She leaped off Sakura and flipped her golden mane. "Hi! A pleasure to officially meet you, I'm Ino and I am forever in your debt!"

The doctor grinned despite a crippling headache. "Nice to meet you too. Sorry if I'm a little slow this morning..."

Ever the hostess, Tenten conjured up coffee and joined her friends on the floor. "Alright Sakura, out with it. You're gonna need to fill in some gaps because Ino only has a fraction of the story."

"Panda bear, you're a doll!" The model flashed a stunning smile.

One generous gulp of caffeine later, the homeowner ventured, "Hang on, do you know each other?"

Tenten nodded and blew on the steaming hot liquid. "We went to the same university and she's a hometown friend of Shikamaru and Chouji's."

"I'm basically their hometown guardian angel," clarified Ino, "I single handedly saved their pathetic existence from dying as virgins."

"Don't forget I persuaded Temari and Karui to breathe in their direction to begin with!" Reminded the fellow Waseda alum.

Ino stuck out her tongue. "Fine, you were the sidekick angel. Anyways! I came back last night from a month-long stint in Singapore and Temari invited me to a squad assembly at the club. I got there a little late and headed for the bar where some fuckboy wouldn't quit hitting on me. I told him to get lost but...," she frowned in extreme distaste. "I'm guessing that's when he spiked my drink."

"I wish I was there to castrate him." The brunette fumed, cracking her knuckles.

Sakura soothed a hand over Ino's back. "Don't worry, nothing happened after that. I was at your side pretty much when you went down."

"I know," the blonde's eyes suddenly ignited with the intensity of blue fire. "I remember hearing your voice and I can't thank you enough. But do you know what I don't know that you do know that I need to know?"

Sakura blinked, lost by the entire dialogue. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Who was that guy you were with - the one carrying me?"

"Sasuke?" Tenten guaged with a finger on her chin. "I told him to take Sakura home last night."

 _"_ _What?!_ Sakura, is that your man?!"

The rosette almost spit out her drink. "No! He was just helping me get you back here!"

"Thank God," Ino sighed in relief, then resumed vigilance and rounded on the other woman. "Wait, is that _your_ man?"

"No." Tenten scrunched her nose. "I'm not into younger guys. Besides, I'm his manager."

The model gleefully squealed and rallied the roommates into a group hug. "Ladies, you're the first people I'm telling but... I think I found my new beau."

Once released, Sakura devoted her attention to draining her coffee while Tenten shook her head in amusement. "You literally just met him by chance."

"I believe in divine intervention," justified Ino in a sagely tone, "and hot damn do I think the universe is trying to tell me something." She pushed off the ground, skipped to the window, and drew the curtains aside. Sunshine penetrated the dimly lit room and everyone was momentarily blinded. "No pun intended, but how can I miss a sign like _that?_ "

Sakura choked on the liquid when her vision adjusted to the scene outside. Directly parallel with her bedroom window was a gigantic billboard of Sasuke in his shirtless glory as if he was hand carved by the Greek gods themselves. With a tennis racket slung over one shoulder, chiseled arm flexing to boot, the image of his smoldering gaze seared right through her core.

"Prince of Tennis?" Ino read the headline. "More like my Prince Charming."

* * *

Sakura burst through the cafe with all the vigor of a tsunami. She forgot about Hinata's breakfast plans until the last minute and hurtled out the door without so much as a goodbye to Tenten or Ino. The hostess led her to the reserved table which resembled nothing short of a field day for the paparazzi. People clutching cameras and posters had thoroughly flanked the three occupants at the booth.

"Guys?" The latecomer sidestepped a girl wearing a shirt with the words 'I love you, Sasuke!' emblazoned across the front. "I thought we were meeting over breakfast. Not attending a press conference?"

Naruto gave the evil eye to Sasuke, who was signing an autograph for an ecstatic fan. "Me too, but this little nugget had to come back to Japan and brainwash everybody and their mother."

The tennis celebrity overheard this and countered with a glare.

"Pardon me, miss?" Hinata beckoned the hostess. "May we switch to a private room, please?"

The hostess obliged courteously and led the party to an enclosed section of the cafe. Sakura, Naruto, and Hinata settled into their new location while Sasuke stalled outside to slake the attention of his supporters.

"Hey, are you okay?" The nurse's hand covered Sakura's. "You look… unwell."

"You look like shit." Deadpanned Naruto.

The pinkette snorted and wryly imagined her friends as parents. "I'm fine, just tired. I guess I went a little too hard last night."

Naruto made a face. "You are a disappointment to Granny Tsunade."

"Hinata, you're going to be a young widow if Tsunade hears Naruto call her old one more time." Sakura warned, pushing aside her menu. The cafe was an old favorite and she habitually ordered the same items.

"Feh, I'm safe if she's not in the country." Shrugged the rebel, leafing through the menu.

Sakura did a double take. "Wait, what?"

"GRANDMA went to South Korea last night," he elucidated between studiously examining the breakfast selection. "'Cause the old pervert has a book signing in Seoul today."

The maid of honor smacked her head. 'The old pervert,' also known as Jiraiya, was her supervisor's unofficial life-partner. He was an author and an associate of the Tokyo Police Department, often partnering with Naruto for investigations when he wasn't writing international best sellers. "That means I'll be swamped with her responsibilities _again!_ That's so above my pay grade!"

Hinata squeezed her friend's hand encouragingly. "She won't be gone for long - perhaps a couple of days, tops."

"Let me tell you about a real disappearance," the officer dropped his menu dramatically. "Freakin' Temari basically sent Shikamaru, Chouji, and me on The Amazing Race last night!"

It was only through slick maneuvering that Sakura dodged the C.E.O.'s antics. "Hah, she's a trip."

"We ended up at a pachinko parlor in Fuchu," the bride-to-be revealed, "I had to discourage her from leaving the country again... for Shikamaru's sake."

Grimacing, Sakura recalled her role in exacerbating the lovers' debacle. She made another mental note to compensate for her connivery. "Well, it's easy to fly away when you own an entire airline. The whole world is literally in Temari's hands."

"Hang on ladies," interrupted Naruto, "Let's take a moment to appreciate that we're breathing the same air as the Prince of Tennis himself."

The medic flinched, unaware that their missing party member had slid into the chair next to her. Memories of their previous encounter resurfaced and catalyzed Sakura's stomach to churn.

"Hey." Sasuke ignored the cheeky comment and greeted her without a scintilla of ill-will. "How're you feeling?"

She expected to be spurned, not treated with concern. "Uh… I'm fine?"

The best man inclined his head. "Good. How's the girl doing?"

"She's fine, too." Peeped Sakura, hiding behind a glass of water.

Hinata raised a brow at the odd interaction. "I hope we didn't take you away from your supporters, Sasuke?"

"Not at all."

Naruto missed the exchange from debating among the chef specials and settled on the tanuki udon. Mentally congratulating himself, he closed the menu to lecture the newcomer. "I can't even take you out into public anymore without causing a scene."

"The feeling's mutual." Sasuke retorted, crossing his arms.

"Which is why we'll be taking a short reprieve away from the public." Hinata interrupted cheerfully.

"We?" Sakura repeated, curious.

The coal haired woman procured a printout from her handbag and displayed it at the center of the table. Naruto used one arm to pull his fiance closer while synchronously stretching out his other arm in the opposite direction. "Surprise! Nata and I are holding the wedding at Tatadohama Beach and we booked a place for us to check out the venue!"

Sasuke perused the details on the page while Sakura searched for the landmark in her phone. The tennis player inwardly observed the perks of being in favor with the Hyuuga elders. It was evident that Hinata enjoyed that luxury while her cousin did not - Neji never received much support, financial or otherwise. It was only through Sasuke's recent earnings from endorsements that he could finally help in one aspect by tripling his team's salary.

"Wow!" The physician raved. "This place is gorgeous!"

Hinata blushed, remembering Naruto's proposal. "We have an affinity for the beach."

"Isn't this a couple of hours away?" Sasuke queried.

"Damn right it is!" The future groom rewarded his roommate with a thumbs up. "It's the perfect place. One, it's secluded so you won't pull aggro on the press and jack our wedding. Two, it's the best compromise between the expectations of Hinata's relatives and my friends. Three, it's big enough for a legendary ceremony and a dope ass reception!"

Sakura jerked up from furiously scribbling on a notepad. "Stop right there. I'm in!"

Hinata smoothly extracted the writing utensil from her coworker's fingers. "We're all 'in,' and since we're collaborating together, we'll all be traveling to Tatadohama Beach for preparatory research."

"In theory, that sounds great, but in practice, I doubt your cousin's going to spare me from training." Sasuke handed back the printed guesthouse reservations. Even during the two days of mandated rest, his coach still prodded him to continue some degree of physical activity.

"Don't worry about Neji," Naruto kissed his fiance's temple. "Nata's got him wrapped around her fingers. I learned my lesson to let the queen handle the art of persuasion."

The Hyuuga heiress smiled shyly. "I've also secured two vacation days for you, Sakura. Tsunade is highly grateful for you covering her absence."

So that's why Hinata was privy to her mentor's whereabouts! Sakura golf clapped. "My best friend's a mastermind."

Suddenly, a knock was heard at the door and a server entered the room. "Hello everyone, my name is Ayame. I'll be helping you folks this morning." To be expected, simply making eye contact with the celebrity caused her to redden flagrantly. Sakura diverted her attention to her phone.

"You ready, babe?" Naruto opened a menu to reaffirm his order.

"One second, please." Bidded Hinata, mimicking his actions. The menu was comparable to a tome with a myriad of different appetizers, entrees, and sides.

"I'll have the curried chicken with rice and a side of double daikon miso soup, please." Sakura and Sasuke ordered in unison. Hinata peaked up from her page while the rosette visibly stiffened and the tennis star coughed. Naruto grunted in aggravation behind his menu, failing to find his meal again.

"Oh, fantastic choice! That's always a crowd pleaser!" Complimented Ayame, jotting down the requests.

Sakura shrank back in her seat and assumed fascinated interest on the mobile device. "I'd also like a bowl of strawberries. Thanks."

Sasuke gathered the two abandoned menus and offered them to the server. "And I'll add a side of sliced tomatoes."

Hinata shrugged and averted her gaze just in time to miss the sideways glance exchanged between the best man and maid of honor. It slipped both their minds that the cafe was their favorite place to grab breakfast when they were still dating.

* * *

"You're not at a research conference, you liar!" Sakura barked at her superior's image on the computer screen.

Tsunade cursed. "Naruto ratted me out, didn't he? He could really benefit from Hinata's ability to keep a secret."

"Um, _hello?_ " The intern waved a hand in front of the camera. "That doesn't excuse the fact that you're in Seoul and I'm inundated with your work! Again! I can cover your outpatient hours but why do I have to participate in a TV interview on behalf of the hospital?!"

Hazel eyes twitched. "You are a strange child. I thought that was going to be the fun part."

"Then let Shizune do it!"

"And risk all the paperwork for a sexual harassment lawsuit slapped against the hospital? Over my dead body. You know how Shizune's infatuated with Sasuke Uchiha."

Sakura pouted unseemingly. "What's the special occasion, anyways?"

"Hell if I know. Something about organizing a charity at the orphanage. Regardless, you're going to find out soon." The seasoned physician confirmed on her Rolex watch that, yes, somebody should be contacting Sakura any minute now.

"But why me?!" The younger woman whined. Tsunade frowned in disapproval; not once has she heard her protege complain, not even for graveyard shifts, so why the anomaly?

"Because the hospital elected me but now I'm choosing you. Because you have public speaking experience. Because you're pretty and the media eats that up. Because I'm your supervisor and I said so." As if on cue, Sakura's phone vibrated. "Now put on your big girl pants, answer that call, and get out there. Sasuke's bringing huge revenue and publicity to the hospital so don't screw it up! Ungrateful brat, you'd think I just asked you to sign your death warrant." Tsunade ended the video transmission in a huff.

In the privacy of her office, Sakura slammed her head on the desk and groaned in frustration. A brief phone conversation later, she begrudgingly reported outside underneath a pitched tent for roll-call. She mingled with the news crew who were completing last minute details. Adjacent to them stood the orphanage where the masses congregated and injected the air with the din of anticipation.

"Hey roomie." A voice popped up.

"Tenten!" Sakura perked. "Was I unconscious when you told me that you were, I don't know, starting a charity at my hospital? Because I was unaware…!"

"I tried to tell you this morning but you flew out the door," the brunette pointed out, rifling through her briefcase. She fished out a document and offered it helpfully. "I'm psyched that the hospital chose you as their spokesperson, though! Everything's super simple, actually. After Sasuke and I explain the premise of our charity, someone'll call you on stage to ask the questions listed on that paper. Just have fun with it, Sasuke's a charmer on camera and I'll be there, too!"

A man with bark-colored tresses combed over his right eye beckoned for Tenten. "We're on in five."

"Thanks, Izumo." The manager hustled away and waved farewell to Sakura.

Shortly afterward, a cosmetologist summoned her for a touch-up routine. Conveniently, the area was equipped with a television broadcasting the upcoming event. Sakura watched the segment begin with a spiky haired news reporter panning into view.

"Good afternoon, Japan! This is Kotetsu Hagane from Nippon Television News. I'm reporting live at the Tokyo Medical University Hospital's affiliate orphanage covering their new tennis foundation sponsored by the Prince of Tennis Sasuke Uchiha with his manager and retired Princess of Tennis Tenten Long!"

The camera focused on the athletes jogging on stage, met by a thunderous roar of celebration. Sasuke wore standard exercise gear as if returning from practice which contrasted sharply with Tenten's tailored suit. They exchanged handshakes with their introducer before interacting with the audience. Although poised, the woman appeared shier than her client, who radiated an aura of confidence. They took a seat while security quelled the clamor from the crowds.

"Thank you for meeting with us, Ms. Long, Mr. Uchiha!" Started Kotetsu, echoed by a brief resurgence of shouts.

"Tenten is fine," the manager reassured, to which the man beside her added, "As is Sasuke."

"Ever the friendly athletes," commended Kotetsu, "Let's jump right into it! Numerous fans are wondering if it's wise to start a tennis foundation now. There's a lot of pressure on your shoulders, Sasuke, and I'm sure your team feels it, too. Can you manage all the extra work?"

"When you genuinely care about something then everything is worth the extra mile," Sasuke deflected mildly. "And Tenten's the true architect behind this project before getting me on board. Its been in the works for a long time and we finally have sponsors who are kind enough to help bring our plans to action."

"Sasuke and I are both orphans and we agreed that tennis and positive relationships were crucial in setting the right tone in our lives," the manager explained. "We were lucky to have the support to achieve our dreams and want to pay it forward. This tennis foundation will emphasize academic assistance, team building, and leadership training to orphans who share our similar background."

Sakura was impressed by the interviewee's professionalism, but it was obvious that they experienced different levels of comfort. Sasuke's body language expressed an ease at being the center of attention whereas Tenten's showed differently.

Kotetsu cleared his throat. "That's quite remarkable. Similarly remarkable is your rare team of two, Sasuke. Besides Tenten, your coach is another famous tennis pro, Neji Hyuuga. What's it like having such a small entourage?"

"Efficient." The honesty was humorous to the audience. "Tenten's the reason for my success off the court and Neji's the reason for my success on it. He's a defensive player, and influences me to augment my more offensive style. I started my career making too many unforced errors from rushing the game, but Neji's trained me to become more patient and add new skills to my arsenal."

Applause arose from the spectators - the coach's following clearly merged with his protege's.

"Neji Hyuuga is one of a kind," admired the reporter, taking a moment to appreciate the former pro. "Regrettably, his career ended in that terrible accident during the 2013 French Open. Whereas injury from that incident forced Mr. Hyuuga into retirement, you, Tenten, did so under different circumstances. You made it to the finals without a scratch but abruptly retired afterwards. Currently, you're the only woman from Japan to progress that far in any Grand Slam tournament. Critics are labeling that as a premature gaffe against your potential - can you comment on that, please?"

Woah, _what?!_ Sakura never heard that piece of information from Tenten! She wasn't a tennis fanatic, but she was aware of the prestige behind the Grand Slam tournaments. The medic vowed to get explanations later.

The Princess bowed her head politely. "I'm touched by the concern. While I'll never stop wanting a Grand Slam title, I must say that I have new dreams." With a teasing grin, she punched her charge in the arm. The mood of the interview lightened as expected. "I've already passed off my tiara to this kid. I'm just one more person on top of millions who believe that he'll win them all."

"It's a prized trophy I keep on my nightstand." Joked the Prince with a smirk. Fans laughed and the female demographic sighed dreamily.

"But first, Sasuke, you'll need to heal that back injury from the U.S. Open! How's your condition?"

"Never better. I've received excellent treatment from the Tokyo Medical University Hospital and already returned to train for my next tournament."

"That's superb news!" The reporter beamed into the camera. "Speaking of the TMUH, the board of directors gathered a list of questions from their employees for a more in depth Q&A session. Please give a hand for their lovely representative, Dr. Sakura Haruno!"

The pinkette barely balanced her footing when Izumo propelled her on stage. A jovial reception met her arrival and she flashed a winsome smile. Ever the gentleman, Sasuke stood up and guided her to his chair. A chorus of 'aw's' murmured through the environment as they took a seat on either side of the tennis manager.

Sakura cordially accepted a microphone from the reporter. "Thank you Kotetsu, Sasuke, Tenten, and everyone for the warm welcome. I'll try my best to represent my colleagues. I appreciate your patience." She was a veteran at public speeches from her history presenting at research conferences.

The spokesperson referred to the paper at hand and faltered. "Of course, leave it to hospital workers to ask highly personal questions." People chuckled while she read each word verbatim, "Tenten, are you interested in Sasuke?" That subdued any side-talk. Apparently everyone was dying to know.

The brunette stifled an eye roll. "Yeah, in his ability to survive working between me and Neji."

The response was met favorably and Sakura transitioned to the next inquiry. "Sasuke, do you like Tenten?" The physician cringed at the prose of these concerns - which, although succinct, were painfully inane. The way that audience members held a collective breath, though, begged to differ.

"On my days off." He playfully replied, garnering laughter.

"Third question is for Sasuke again." The representative scanned the page. "There's multiple rumors in the past about your romantic history with powerful women: the Bridgestone heiress Kurotsuchi Kamizuru, singer Yugito Nii, and actress Mei Terumi to name a few." She paused to let that register. "Will you tell us if those are fact or fiction?"

The handsome man smirked and women everywhere swooned. "This escalated quickly."

"Wait, there's an addendum." The small letters below the third bullet was difficult to decipher. "Further, your most recent media sighting with Karin Tojo, the 14th ranked women's tennis player in the world, at the U.S. Open is widely speculated. Will this possibly translate into romance off the court?"

Sasuke elongated the silence for suspense. "Maybe."

Noise erupted across the audience; his answer evoked a spectrum of emotions ranging from disappointment to delight. The spokesperson had to increase her volume to drown out the commotion. "This one's for both of you: what are your ultimate goals?"

"To be happy," asserted Tenten, "And make my loved ones happy, too."

"To be the best tennis player in the world." Sasuke unified the feelings from the crowd once more. They cheered and Sakura proceeded with the rest of the questions which were, fortunately, less personal.

The interview ended and Kotetsu wrapped up the segment, giving Sakura an opportunity to scamper off stage. The situation was surreal. It was easy to slip into an act and sequester reality, but after leaving the spotlight, she had to stipulate over how everything fit into context. How was ignorant about so much regarding Sasuke and Tenten?!

"Sakura!"

The doctor whirled around at the familiar voice. It was from one of the last people she expected.

"Sai?" She squinted to confirm that it was, indeed, her boyfriend running at her. "I thought Canon confiscated you for the entire weekend?"

He finally reached her, panting. "We're doing a photoshoot downtown and I wanted to surprise you."

"Mission accomplished." She hooked her hand with his. "How'd you find me?"

"You were on TV. How the camera highlights your head is a dead giveaway."

"Hey!"

"I was complimenting your brain." The cameraman closed the distance between them. Smiling, Sakura returned the hug.

When she pulled back, her eyes widened in shock at the scene behind Sai. From a distance, Ino stood facing away from Sakura, tilting her head at Sasuke. The tennis player felt someone staring and glanced up to see his ex-girlfriend. They lingered their gaze longer than acquaintances should before he broke it off to capture Ino's lips with his own.

Something tore straight through Sakura - something that affected her so much that it unhinged her jaw.

"What's wrong?" Questioned Sai.

"Nothing! It's just that…," the physician channeled her attention back to the man in front of her. "We're barely together lately. Do you want company tonight?"

The photographer curled an arm around his girlfriend's waist. "What do you think?"

From afar, Sasuke watched the couple with narrowed eyes.

* * *

It was only after Neji's ninth consecutive hour in his office that he finally locked the door shut. A crease at the brows marred his normally stolid features, but there was good reason for that. Although he concluded his work for Toyota, his day was far from over. Hinata strategically wrestled Sasuke away and Neji swore that his younger cousin could make an astute businesswoman if she so wished. But she didn't, and that was that. Which meant, now, en route to the newly established tennis foundation, Neji was tasked to carry out Sasuke's commitments.

He entered the elevator where it halted a second later on the 19th floor.

Someone joined the car. "Hyuuga."

Using his peripherals, Neji spied similar sets of winter-gray irises boring into him. "Likewise." It was Iroha - a third cousin - trying his patience because more than 85% of the finance department shared the same surname.

A taut silence saturated the air before Iroha leered. "You had an adorable tribute on television the other day."

The coach was taciturn, staring staunchly ahead.

"Too bad that you were, at best, an honorable mention - and I use those terms as lightly as possible. Pray tell what's worse: receiving false compliments from base orphans or shaming the family name with a reminder of your failures on national news?"

The compartment continued southward along with the false civility Neji tenuously upheld with the majority of his relatives.

"You're pathetic. You thought you were a prodigy but life finally caught up to you. Now I know better than to pity a fool. That scar that you see on your head every day doesn't help calibrate your senses any, huh?"

Neji gripped the handle of his briefcase a little tighter. "I am humbled that you carved the time necessary to delve into my personal matters. Unfortunately, there are more alarming concerns which could jeopardize the family name." He paused to build tension. "Are you familiar with the term 'jailbait'?"

Iroha paled immediately. It was late last night when his intern lured him into the conference room.

"Take solace that she initiated the tryst. But by no means should you forget that you are her senior in more ways than one." The elevator slowed to its final destination but Neji pressed on. "I recommend that you end the affair before the right authorities are accidentally notified."

The metal doors receded and the coach exited the confinement. "One further piece of advice: I strongly discourage the use of derogatory terms to describe orphans. Especially since we are welcoming one into the family come November."

* * *

Dealing with moody teenagers was hell. Dealing with moody teenagers with an equally moody Neji was a special kind of hell. Tenten wondered what atrocity she committed in her previous life to warrant such torture.

She knew that Neji was in a funk as soon as he stepped out of his car. Tenten deduced that he had an argument with his relatives and, judging from the way he crossed his arms, it must have been with a cousin. She could effortlessly distinguish between the effects caused by his elders versus his contemporaries.

Usually, Tenten allowed his temper to fester - because honestly, the Hyuuga family politics were abstruse - but right now she was forced between a rock and a hard place. The tennis foundation was an important personal project and she aimed to start off on the right foot. Neji being a drill sergeant was _not_ doing her any favors.

Not that she was having any luck beforehand. Teenagers were a dangerous breed of angst and hormones, and it didn't help that most of these orphans suffered from additional personal issues. She could tell that some were products of abusive unions while others from overprotective families. Some came from dissolution of triads while others were abandoned at birth. All these reasons and more were why she campaigned adamantly for this project.

Gai coined it youthful altruism, sure, but he underestimated the impact of his love had on Tenten. She lived two years at the Kyoto University Hospital's orphanage before someone noticed her. She was a mute and scrawny thing that everyone overlooked and nobody wanted. Tenten who? Even the employees forgot!

Everything changed when Gai appeared at the orphanage. He was back from abroad and volunteering throughout the country, already having adopted Lee in Osaka. Tenten finally opened up to Gai following months of his unrequited patience. It wasn't long afterwards that she joined his family and it was a true blessing: Gai and Lee nurtured her in a loving environment and, due to the former's career in sports, she was introduced to tennis. Tenten emerged from the orphanage relatively unscathed with minor confidence issues, but that was infinitely better than other alternatives.

Her aspirations for the tennis foundation were definitely lofty, but she believed in it. Thankfully, Sasuke agreed to be her partner. She needed another coach to successfully instruct a group of underserved kids which was why, in his absence, Neji was needed as substitute.

"Five more laps around the perimeter." He commanded flatly.

The disgruntled orphans were on the brink of a coup d'etat. Tenten couldn't blame them - this was their first tennis lesson and Neji's 'training' was demoralizing. But these teens shouldn't be victims of his ire! "Maybe they should-"

"I'm not taking orders from some guy with girly hair!" A strawberry blonde kid exploded in a flourish. He was Yahiko, the kingpin of the boys.

"I'd like to go back inside with Iruka, Yamato, and Ebisu." Whispered Nagato - a pale, soft spoken redhead.

"That's not an option because they're teaching all the kids right now." Informed Konan, a bright and assertive leader to the girls. "But we were under the impression that this was an optional program led by Sasuke Uchiha. Don't get us wrong, Mr. Neji, you're plenty cool, but-"

"We expect a tennis prodigy! Who the hell are you losers, anyways, to boss us around?" Yahiko blurted gruffly.

The situation was deteriorating rapidly and Tenten needed to act fast. "Sasuke's busy and Neji is his coach! We were pros-"

"Two years ago." Nagato inserted quietly.

The teenagers ruptured into a schism of reactions. Tenten and Neji's retirement certainly didn't improve their reputation. They haven't competed since the fateful French Open tournament, opting to fly under the radar until Sasuke's fame skyrocketed. Their prominence was probably only known by older populations or die-hard fans.

"Tenten."

Neji's voice pierced through the ruckus and hailed her back to reality. She regarded him quizzically before noticing that he had wrapped her hand around her racket.

"Play me. One set." He retreated to the far end of the tennis court, simultaneously extinguishing the chatter. "These kids doubt our abilities and I'm inclined to correct their misconceptions."

Tenten felt all eyes on her as she stared at the piece of equipment like it was a foreign object. "But you're-"

"Not disabled." Snapped the coach, scrutinizing his racket strings.

"Bring it on!" Konan galvanized the sentiments of the girls. "You can't just let the boys win!"

Another uproar boiled over in the form of boys versus girls.

"Fine!" Hollered Tenten. They silenced at once and watched her march to the center of the court.

"Up or down?" The Princess of Tennis let her opponent pick a direction on her racket insignia to dictate who served first.

The corners of Neji's lips rose smugly and his eyes flared in the face of challenge. "Up."

Tenten tossed the racket into the air and caught it skillfully. Checking the end of her handle and displaying the verdict for all to see, she returned with a gamely smirk.

"Up."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Did you catch that?: TeamNewsCrew/PowerfulWomen/AmeOrphans/Teachers & shout out to the Justice League trailer. The bit at the end: for low-key matches, who serves first is decided like a coin toss, but instead of calling head/tails, you choose something based on your racket. Tenten and Neji use Head rackets, so they choose up/down.

FINALLY! NejiTen and the summary scene. Tell me what you think with reviews for quicker updates! Some might be pissed at Sai and Ino but, in real life, shit happens. I know what I'm doing! Stay tuned for Chapter 5: a showdown on and off the courts.


	5. Chapter 5

"Yas, Neji!" Yahiko all but frothed at the mouth. "Yaaas!"

As it stood, the unofficial boy's champion was leading the game at 3-2. It was both time to change sides of the court and for him to serve.

Tenten dragged her feet forwards, intently downcast to avoid the imaginary rain cloud over her gloomy supporters. She had purposely distanced her score close enough to give the girls hope, but to no avail.

"You are removed from reality if you think she's playing seriously." Neji chided, hushing his faction. He strode over to confront the brunette by the tennis net poles. "How else can you explain the deliberate placement of all her shots to my forehand? Can you fathom the skill in marksmanship to precisely aim every hit? Tenten is purposely reducing the depth of her balls to land within my reach."

"What's more," the man inhaled in deep displeasure, "is that she's intentionally hitting purely with spin which, although marginally better from the past, is mediocre at best." Neji advanced to stand behind the baseline and flickered icy eyes over the net. "Cut the shit, Princess. You're insulting your title."

He served amidst a dumbstruck crowd. In response, his challenger proverbially flipped him off by slapping back a winner. Spin was undoubtedly Tenten's weakness, but her strengths overcame that. As a flat hitter, her incisive timing enhanced her trajectories with speed and direction.

Tenten debated the moral implications of handing over someone's ass who suffered from a handicap, but Neji's snarkiness decided for her. "You're going to talk yourself hoarse, almighty King of Spin." She cut her eyes indignantly.

"What the hell does that even mean?" Whispered Yahiko from his position at the sidelines.

Nagato's eyes were glued to the match while explaining to his friend. "By adjusting the racket's motion on impact, you can put spin on the ball to manipulate its flight path after it lands. Different types of spin can make the ball bounce up really high, backwards, or right at the opponent... and Neji's the best at all of them."

Tenten nimbly won the game and tied the score at 3-3, with Konan rambunctiously rooting as background music. "Boy, BYE!"

"I thought the hype was real?!" Blanched Yahiko, jutting his hand out toward Neji.

"He's... injured."

Yahiko begged to differ - the male competitor maneuvered agilely on the court.

"Look closer," advised the redhead, "Neji hurt his wrist and can't stretch very far. Plus, his backhands put too much stress on his injury so he has to move around every ball to hit them with a forehand." The female athlete deftly took the lead at 4-3. "Neji's fast, but he's wearing himself out from the extra footwork and losing because his reach is limited."

Aye to that. Regardless of his phenomenal speed, Neji perspired and panted more than his adversary.

The strawberry blonde's discontent worsened with the jeers from the girls - the situation looked dire for his mates. As the boys' ringleader, he had to take the reins. "If you injured your wrist then use your other hand!" Yahiko bellowed, shaking his fists skyward. "Like with everything else in life! I mean - how've you been jacking off?!"

He interpreted the stunned silence for misunderstanding. Good grief, did this moron know nothing?! "You know? Choking the chicken, draining the dragon, pumping the python? Seriously, if your right hand hurts but you need to rub one out, what do you do?! Use your LEFT hand to-"

Recovering from being utterly gobsmacked, Konan thwacked Yahiko upside the head and stomped on his foot. "Shut up you disgusting PERVERT!"

"What? I learned that from Jiraiya!"

The tennis professionals looked downright revolted, but nevertheless heard the unadulterated advice. Neji switched the racket to his left hand.

It wasn't Neji's first time using his non-dominant hand in tennis since two years of training Sasuke, a leftie, granted opportunities to try. However, playing a pick up match was different from feeding balls at the net to improve his charge's agility. Notwithstanding their current environment at the orphange, the game still had a competitive edge to it. And Neji Hyuuga was not keen on losing.

"Love all." He announced, slamming the ball across the court. The unprecedented force stupefied the audience.

"Out!" Declared Tenten, curiously whelmed.

Neji chanced a second serve, but it plummeted dead into the net. Double fault.

He glided to the other side of the center mark to serve again, unfazed by the last point lost. Clearly, his mind was focused on another matter. It felt odd operating his body in the complete opposite direction than normal, but it didn't feel like a daunting learning curve for the tennis star of the East.

"Love-15." He was, however, highly grateful that his alternate wrist didn't lock up under increases in pronation. It let him to focus on rotating inversely, driving with his legs, and throwing his racket -

A lime green blur whizzed past Tenten. She strained her eyes to ascertain at the ball's safe landing inside the service box. From afar, the ace kindled the teens into a frenzy while Neji prepared to initiate the third point.

"15-all." He voiced, before producing another brilliant ace.

"30-15." A consecutive ace! But the spectator's cheers clashed conversely with the frown imposing on Neji's features. "Are you even trying?"

"You sass me one more time, Hyuuga...,"

He smirked at the sarcasm and wound up his racket. The newfound flexibility restored his strength and ability to lacquer his serves with prodigious topspin.

A fourth ace.

"Let's go, Tenten!" The crestfallen girls chanted.

The tennis manager finally adapted to Neji's serves and whipped back a return. The point unfolded until the man expertly sliced the ball over the net. Tenten dashed forward to retrieve it, but the small object dropped like a rock. Neji tied the game at 4-4.

Squaring her jaw and shoulders, Tenten jogged behind the baseline. She consistently held her serves when she played seriously and made a point to start the following game with a defiant ace. The tennis coach raised to the occasion but was still clearly mired in experimenting with the inverse disposition of his body. Tenten ultimately captured the game in her favor at 5-4.

They changed sides again and the stakes heightened. If Neji lost this round, then she'd win the match.

The male athlete began with a heavy serve which his opponent anticipated and sealed with a winner. Love-15. 15-all. 30-15. 30-all. 30-40. 40-40, deuce. Neji fought back - advantage in. Tenten said NOPE - deuce. Neji magicked an odds-defying shot- advantage in. Tenten said GET OUT – deuce.

Trying a new plan, Tenten rushed to the service box during Neji's next serve. She barely deflected the ball before continuing her charge to the net. The tactic pressured Neji into accidentally hitting the ball straight at Tenten, which she poached cleanly out of the air.

The brunette anchored her racket on her hip, grinning at her opponent. "Recognize that from anywhere?"

Of course - he taught her that. Neji cocked his head smugly. "There's room for improvement."

"Match point, everyone!" Sang the female army. The boys shushed them to calm down.

Neji resumed the duel where both competitors ended up in a rally that shackled each other to the baseline. Only the rhythmic popping noise from the ball contacting racket strings resounded from the venue. Their fluid movements hypnotized onlookers as they read each other's technique like an open book. But like every point, it had to end. Neji miscalculated a sweeping groundstroke and shanked the ball with the metal of his racket. The small sphere careened into the air and fell precariously on top of the net, then tumbled back on his side, unable to make it over.

"YEAH!" The girls rejoiced and invaded the court to worship their dazed idol.

The boys were less demonstrative, but nonetheless thrilled by the riveting match. Neji clasped two hands above his head in a handshake salute, prompting his brethren to follow with sportsman-like applause.

Emerging from the orphanage's main building, Iruka, the chief director, came into view. "Time to wrap up, folks! Dinner's ready in 20 minutes."

Now this piece of information truly inspired the boys. "YEAH!"

Their counterparts, sensing another competition, raced indoors and left the adults outside.

Iruka smiled warmly at Gai's adoptive daughter. "It's great to see you, Tenten. Won't you stay for dinner?" The woman was spacing out and didn't catch the invitation, so he searched for the other player instead. "Hey, where'd your partner go?"

That truncated her reverie. "Sorry, gotta run!" The victor broke into a sprint towards the parking lot.

Acutely aware of Tenten's thoughts, Neji reversed out of his parking space with open disregard for speeding regulations. He intended to floor it out of there and shun her for the next week to shake this event off. Sadly, he underestimated the extremes she'd take to pursue him. Alas.

The brunette pinpointed Toyota's latest sports car model and scrambled over the fence between them. Without hesitation, she leaped onto the road to bodily block the exit. Neji veered the steering wheel sharply to prevent colliding into his longtime friend. The sound of screeching tires filled the evening as the effluvia of burning rubber invaded the air around them.

"You're insane," he hissed, "Is jumping in front of traffic a hobby to you?"

Tenten ignored the jibe and bounded to his window. "We should play doubles together."

"You. Are. Insane." Were the driver's last words before he stepped on the gas pedal and revved out of the premise.

Determined auburn eyes glinted against the sunset in the wake of his departure. He could run, but he certainly couldn't hide. Tenten wasn't going to give up on Neji now, not when he patiently helped her in the past. Not when he consoled her after a crushing defeat that marked a turning point in her tennis career. Not when he trained her to overcome the wind. Not after everything he did.

* * *

Sakura, Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke settled into their accommodations at Tatadohama Beach around sunset. Naturally, Sakura spearheaded the project and doled out wedding assignments hours prior to their arrival. And naturally, Hinata obliged - relieved that her best friend resolved to delegation, Naruto sullenly 'okay'-ed out of love, and Sasuke coolly stiffed her.

During their journey to their destination, Sasuke's congeniality toward Sakura was starkly juxtaposed with apathy depending on the situation. In the presence of others, he acted normally and left nothing to suspicion. In the absence of company, he regarded her indifferently with a hint of shade. This perpetually disoriented the doctor, but she could never address the issue without folding in on herself.

They decided to meet at 6:30 PM to grab dinner and explore the ceremony area. So now, at 6:48 PM, the medic paced impatiently at their deviance from the schedule. Sasuke was late and they couldn't afford tardiness. Everyone's demanding occupations stressed for punctuality since no one knew when their schedules would coincide again.

"Naruto, _where_ is your best man?" Sakura enunciated with a clipped tone.

"I dunno. Babe? Which floor'd he exile himself to?" The couple snuggled on the couch with the blonde's head pillowed on top of his fiance's lap.

It turns out, the Hyuuga elders bypassed Hinata's guesthouse reservations and purchased the property outright. After all, they justified, it would be nonsense for a mere rental to become the family stronghold come the holy matrimony. Admittedly, it was a worthy purchase: the five-story structure was sublime and could comfortably house the Hyuuga clan and then some. The architects terraced the manse onto a cliff side overlooking the pristine depths of Suruga Bay.

"I believe he took the top floor." Informed the heiress, combing a hand through her lover's hair.

"You're gonna put me to sleep," Naruto yawned, "Anko's pure evil for staging a surprise stakeout overnight. Just because she's a creature of the night doesn't mean we all are…,"

Not one for masochism, Sakura decided to solicit the couple instead. "He's probably busy, so let's head out. We have a ton of things to do," she played her trump card against the groom's lethargy, "And ramen to eat."

Predictably, the officer ejected himself off the couch and lifted Hinata to her feet. "Onwards! To dinner!"

The trio proceeded into town and were in eyesight of a local ramen stall when Naruto stopped dead in his tracks.

"Am I hallucinating?" He squinted in bafflement, darting across the street without preamble.

His companion's protests drifted to the wind as they resigned to chasing him down. Upon discovering the object of distraction, however, Sakura suppressed a momentous urge to run for the hills. Rather, Internal screaming was definitely more appropriate in the presence of her friends.

If Sasuke would stop invading her life again, then it would be too soon. It was bad enough waking up to his billboard every morning, but he ubiquitously haunted her throughout the day and night, too. Living with his workaholic manager meant watching his appearances on TV, working with his crazed fans meant hearing his interviews on the radio, and generally residing in Japan meant being plagued with material about the Prince of Tennis. Like right now. Despite his physical absence, he still preceded himself.

A plethora of magazines and newspapers littered an entire convenience store's showcase panel featuring the same subject: Sasuke and Ino lip-locking at the orphanage. At minimum, 30 of the front covers published unique sets of photos depicting the kiss at sundry angles.

"Love all for tennis hunk Sasuke Uchiha and supermodel Ino Yamanaka?" Naruto read incredulously. He apparated into the establishment and rematerialized with a tabloid tucked under his arm. Invigorated by his new possession, he boasted, "This is either the best photoshop job of the century or my ultimate piece of blackmail."

"It seems genuine," theorized Hinata as the group slid into seats at the ramen bar, "The details and pictures are many."

Sakura worried over the menu while Naruto dived into the coveted 'insider report'. Really, she wouldn't lose any sleep from foregoing celebrity gossip, but her friend insisted on reading aloud.

"Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome was spotted in a passionate make out sesh with the blonde beauty after his recent tennis foundation reveal. It looks like their careers aren't the only things heating up this autumn! Yamanaka's agents discussed their collaboration in Japan Airway's upcoming promos but Uchiha's manager has yet to disclose any information - but perhaps she won't have to. A picture is worth a thousand words, and we've got plenty."

The officer guffawed and barely collected himself to order the chef's special. "Lord help me," he wheezed, "Who wrote this. Who authorized this? There's no way Tenten got him to mack it for the paparazzi."

Hinata pecked him on the cheek as he offered the first bowl to her. "But she is quite dogged."

"That's an understatement," the man allowed, "But this is Sasuke. He never compromises his privacy. The bastard's a human version of a firewall - I legit had to pull some hacker shit to figure out his godforsaken birthday."

"What about his high profile hookups?" Sakura feigned nonchalance.

"Beats me," the blonde shrugged between slurping noodles, "Either all the panties truly are dropping, the internet made up some lies, or Tenten staged a hot publicity stunt. In the end, I can't even pretend like any of that holds a candle to tennis. It's the one love affair that Sauce has on the record, which is why I'm gonna grill the hell out of him later about this chick."

"Sasuke's dedication is commendable," praised Hinata with solemn sincerity, "The only person who parallels that commitment is his coach. I always see Neji leaving for practice prior to dawn or late in the evening."

Sakura visited the Hyuuga Manor twice and wondered the likelihood of two people running into each other at such a colossal estate. Then, she recalled what the Nippon Television News reporter divulged about Neji's history and cleared her throat to offer her condolences. "Hey, I never knew about your cousin's past. I'm so sorry to hear about his accident. It must have been real hard on him and your family."

The bride-to-be pursed her lips and pushed aside her dinner. "It was. It's... still a very sensitive issue in my family, hence why I haven't told you, I'm sorry. The accident changed everything when it took away Neji's ability to compete along with his father, my uncle."

Shit! Sakura wasn't aware the tragedy worsened! And, judging from her best friend's prompt withdrawal from the meal and conversation, she had detonated an emotional landmine. The bereaved niece veiled her face behind a curtain of tresses and a withered posture. Naruto glared at the perpetrator to which Sakura mouthed in horror, 'I'm sorry, I didn't know!'

"Why don't you guys go to the beach?" The maid of honor blurted frantically. "Tonight's a full moon and it's suppose to be gorgeous!"

"But-,"

Sakura curbed the dissent with a hug. "No buts! As your second in command, I order you to go enjoy yourself or else your future husband's going to throw me in jail."

Hinata reciprocated the gesture as her beau paid the bill. The couple excused themselves and Sakura slouched visibly. She felt terrible for uprooting a painful memory for Hinata - which means she'll just have to work extra hard on the wedding as penance. Whipping out her notebook and phone, Sakura transitioned into full-blown planning mode.

The hours blended together until the rosette stood up, satisfied with her productivity. Leaving the eatery, she traipsed toward the shoreline for her last objective: checking out the ceremony venue. As she walked, her imagination spread like wildfire envisioning the layout logistics. That was, of course, until something disturbing hit her like a truck.

Everything she accomplished was detail-oriented, based solely on the finishing touches of the wedding. Her knack for detail benefited her as a health professional, but it wasn't enough as an event planner. She needed a visionary who saw the bigger picture, a generalist to offset her specificity… crap. She needed her ex-boyfriend.

Sakura paled at the fact that Sasuke's macro-level thinking meshed perfectly with her micro-level thoughts. If their dating history and the clubbing incident proved anything, it was that they excelled as a team. That aside, however, how was she going to collaborate with someone who kept turning her world upside down?

On the fringes of her vision, Sakura descried Hinata and Naruto swathed in moonlight. The blonde carried his lover bridal-style into the sea and whirled her about mirroring the stuff of fairy tales. Remnants of melancholy melted off Hinata's features as she wrapped her arms around her future husband's neck, smiling like she did for nobody else. They were so in love and-

And Sakura would not be hindered by further circumspection. She pivoted at her heels and bee lined straight for the guesthouse.

* * *

Sasuke languidly floated atop the roof's luxurious in-ground pool for a much needed break. The brisk water felt refreshing against his skin and the tranquility of the outdoors relaxed every fiber of his being. He had switched off the deck's lights, allowing the lunar glow to turn everything silver. The tennis star was duly appreciating the night sky when hues of azalea and emerald rudely obscured his view.

"I need to talk to you." Even in the dark, Sakura shined.

"I'm busy."

"But it's important...," She meekly reasoned as he began doing laps.

"Hey!" She tried again, but received no reply sans the sound of splashing water. "Sasuke!"

Sakura felt her stomach sink deeper and deeper until something snapped. Hell no was this happening again. This wasn't who she was. Enough was enough!

As Sasuke torqued to turn at the end of the pool, something roughly forced him to resurface. Spluttering, he felt two hands push him backwards against the wall. Finally regaining his bearings and taming his water frisked locks, he discovered a drenched Sakura accosting him.

"Quit ignoring me and spinning me around! You're sending all these mixed signals and I don't know what to do! Sometimes you're civil and sometimes you're not, but either way it's completely throwing me off." She matched his glare and treaded closer. "I'm not the same feeble little girl anymore, Sasuke. I've changed and I don't get pushed around. But when you're cold and aloof towards me, I feel like I regressed seven years and I'm back to being a self-doubting child again!"

"You want to talk about mixed signals?" He glowered, sizing her up. "At the club, you brag about your new boyfriend one minute and care about who I sleep with the next. Then later, you act like you want to crawl out of your skin near me but turn around to cuddle the present I gave you on your 18th birthday."

The medic stumbled momentarily but recovered for her next umbrage. "What I do is not up to you; and how is that worse than using innocent bystanders in your sadistic plans to mess with me? I've kept this between the two of us by playing in your fucked up game of charades but you made the move to involve others. You kissed Ino on purpose at the orphanage because you saw me with Sai!"

"What an excellent time to bring him up," sneered Sasuke, "I've worked with Sai before and the similarities between us are striking, aren't they? Did you start your relationship by saying that he reminded you of someone? Have you warned him that he'll never be anything more than second best? You think you've changed, Sakura, but know this: you've always said one thing and meant the other. How does it feel to finally get a taste of your own medicine?"

The woman's hand sliced through the water to connect with his cheek. It seemed as though the night muted to reverberate the harshness of the slap. Sasuke didn't even bother turning to face his assailant, instead submerging underwater and swimming off. Hauling himself over the edge of the pool and collecting his belongings, the athlete retreated to his room in silent fury.

Right as he swiped his card key, a surprise attack from Sakura tackled them both through the threshold. The door slammed ajar with an echoing bang while he struggled to ground himself from the unannounced impetus.

 _Fuck_ Neji's emotional discipline - Sasuke was a centimeter away from wreaking havoc on everything within his vicinity.

But his ex-girlfriend was already there.

"This is for saying that I haven't changed!" She flipped over a table in rage. "Who the fuck are you to judge me? Just because you're famous doesn't mean you get to discredit everybody else. News flash: time didn't stop after you left Japan, so stop thinking that you're the only one who changed. Analyze my personality all you want, but you know the old me would've never stood up for myself. You're sorely mistaken if you think that I'll accept being toyed with emotionally."

Sasuke dodged five paperback novels hurled at his head and instinctively grabbed the objects closest to him for ammo which was, to his dismay, couch cushions. He nevertheless chucked them at the belligerent party with perfect aim. "That's fucking rich. Stop victimizing yourself, you hypocrite!"

Being hit in the face triggered Sakura to upgrade and use hard cover tomes as weapons. Her target practice ducked in time to evade the onslaught, but the artwork on the wall became casualties of war.

"Your arbitrary behavior might've been cute when we were young, but grow the fuck up. If you're so done with me, then by all means get the hell out of my sight!"

"Excuse me?!" The woman seethed, hoisting a piece of furniture above her head. "How the hell am I in the wrong when you're the one playing games?!"

"Shit!" Sasuke dove behind the couch to avoid being on the wrong end of the armchair Sakura launched across the suite. _Goddamn_ her freakish strength! He took advantage of her recoil and pushed his makeshift shield forward, knocking her to the ground. Sasuke toppled the couch over his attacker as a barricade and leaned over the edge to subdue her. As he peered down, however, Sakura's suddenly tear-glossed eyes froze him on the spot. He fell for her guile and she viciously kicked his foot to escape from captivity.

Freed, Sakura reared on her prey like a bull. With a battle cry, she shoved Sasuke onto the bed and vaulted on top of him. "And please advise how I should get out of your sight when we're planning a freakin' wedding together! But unlike _somebody_ who hasn't pulled their weight-,"

The tennis player cut her off by swiftly swapping their positions. "What the fuck do you think I've been doing? I settled the beach permits and booked the resort for the reception. I was halfway finished with the seating arrangement for Naruto's eight million friends before I called it a night."

Sakura instantly stilled in realization that he actually listened to her - he actually accomplished all the tasks she assigned to him.

"I gave up halfway through sorting out the Hyuugas, too." She slackened and chose her words carefully. "We need to stop fighting. We have to work together, like Hinata said. I originally wanted to talk because I... I've been stuck piecing all the details together into a cohesive plan. And I need your help doing that. I'm going out on a limb here, but I think we can still work great together as a team."

The rosette seized his fleeting hesitation and kneed him in the stomach to assume dominance. Sasuke, to his credit, subjected in exasperation and exhaustion. For one, despite what Sakura said, her inherent capriciousness never ceased to amaze. For another, hes been awake and working since dawn. To hell with her beliefs about changing - she drains him physically and mentally and that remained fact. "Can't we divide the tasks and do everything separately?"

"Sure, if we want to half-ass the wedding, but obviously I don't want that. I care a lot about Hinata and I'll do anything in my power to make her happy. And right now? Naruto is her happiness." Sakura's eyes shone wistfully. "The way she looks at him and… the way he makes her smile… jeez, you'd have to be blind to miss it. She's so in love."

When he didn't refute, the maid of honor continued. "They're our best friends and extremely precious to us. The least we can do is give them a wedding that they both deserve. Can we put this-," she corrected herself, " _Us_ aside for two more months for their sake?"

A startled gasp suddenly emanated from the hallway and the duo peered behind them to see Hinata akin to a deer in headlights. It took a few heartbeats to find her voice. "My apologies; I awoke to some loud noises and went to investigate. You weren't in your room, Sakura, which got me worried and…," pearly eyes roamed across the suite, "Am I interrupting something?"

Not only did the room resemble a natural disaster, but Sakura and Sasuke were caught in a salaciously suggestive position. The medic's soaked clothes clung to her like a second skin and her white blouse turned transparent. Sasuke was simultaneously wet and shirtless underneath her, caged between her thighs. In a blink, they sprang off the mattress and practically teleported to the door.

"Nope, not one bit! G'night!" Chirped Sakura, slinking past the heiress with a honeyed smile and bolting for the stairs.

"Good night." Sasuke nodded curtly and clicked the door shut.

Alone in the hallway, Hinata stood in speechless bewilderment.

* * *

 _Seven Years Ago_

Kakashi had traveled to the Aichi Prefecture again. Something about a project in the automobile industry, but Sasuke translated that as an opportunity to hang out with his girlfriend. Unfortunately, their meetings were sporadic lately due to the upcoming conclusion of tennis and swim season and the academic term. Although he budgeted ample time for his academics, Sakura's high-strung perfectionism devoted all her's studying. She rarely replied to text messages and tersely ended phone conversations with the excuse of hitting the books, but damn it, it was getting annoying and Sasuke was _not_ one to be ignored!

The tennis player groped for his cellphone to issue an ultimatum: spend time together or he'll resort to drastic measures. Coincidentally, a pretty picture of Sakura illuminated his device just as he swiped the screen to unlock it - she was calling him.

"Hey," he unconsciously smiled, "I was just about to call you."

"Hah, beat you to it. Are you home right now?" The other line sounded tense.

He responded affirmatively.

"Okay. Can I come over?"

Well, that worked out. "I was hoping you would."

The conversation was brief compared to normal, but at least he got his wish. Sakura was probably stressed from exams even though he knew she'd ace them all. Exercising foresight, he retreated to the kitchen to prepare his girlfriend's fail-safe comfort food. Sasuke was Sakura's defense system for dispelling her chronic insecurities, and that was a responsibility he took very seriously (often with the assistance of food).

It was moments later when his ears perked to the doorbell being rung. Jogging over to open the door, he teased, "Since when did you become an Olympic sprinter?"

Sakura's lips twitched in a half-smile as she pitched forward in a hug. Surprised and comforted, Sasuke enveloped his guest in a warm embrace. "Miss me much?"

She took a whiff of the apartment. "You bought dango."

He bent down to tap two fingers against her forehead. "Yeah." Sasuke padded to the kitchen to retrieve the dessert.

The pinkette was admiring the uchiwa ornament that he recently installed when he reappeared in the living room. "Since when did you become an interior designer?" She imitated.

"Since you bugged me about it." Smoothly, Sasuke dropped on the couch, pulled the standing girl to his lap, and offered her favorite treat. "What's wrong? Something's bothering you."

The couple sat wordlessly while he gave her a moment to contemplate. Sakura skirted the issue by resuming her inspection of the red and white fan. She had stumbled upon the antique - with the accompanying tennis ball - from organizing through Sasuke's closet a few weeks ago. An innocent query revealed its significance and it led to one of the rare instances he disclosed information about his childhood. It killed Sakura that he trusted her enough to share something so private, yet now...

The girl cursed herself for trying to avoid the inevitable.

"Sasuke…," she stood up and paced backwards, "I… I want...," her resolve faltered, but she couldn't turn back.

"I want to break up with you."

The seven monosyllabic words flooded the air with enormous gravity. Sasuke stared in perplexity before reaching out for her, but she flinched away. "What did you say?"

Sakura's turmoil trembled her shoulders and threatened her eyes with tears. Clearly she didn't mean it, but then why did she repeat herself? She confirmed her decision with a solemn nod.

Sasuke felt winded. Out of sorts. Hollow, wounded, numb. Most of all, confused. Nothing about their relationship raised any red flags - this effectively caught him unaware. Minutes passed before he finally managed one word: "Why?"

"Because I'm standing in the way of a very bright opportunity for you," Sakura willed herself to meet his gaze, "And I'm a detriment to your dreams. You mean so much to me and... I want what's best for you."

"You're the best thing that happened to me." Countered Sasuke, a familiar dread of abandonment ebbing into consciousness. "You're what's best for me."

"What do you know?" She laughed callously. Sakura saw the hurt coursing through him and hated that she was the culprit. "Look at us. We're kids! I'm just a naive girl and you're just a boy who-,"

"Loves you." He finished quietly. Her heart splintered into a million pieces for what was to come. "I thought I didn't need to say it. I thought you knew. Wasn't it obvious?"

" _Stop_." Her bravado wilted and she backpedaled to the exit.

"I thought you felt the same way, too," he continued, overriding her plea with his own. "Don't you?"

"Let me go," Sakura implored when he grasped her wrists, "It's over, we're done, let me go!"

His body operated on its own accord trying to cope with the emotions besetting him. The vulnerability of putting himself out there was frightening, but he had to know. In spite of himself, Sasuke needed an answer. "Don't you, Sakura?"

She twisted free from his hold and brushed past him. That was it. Her actions spoke louder than words.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, slipping outside and closing the door behind her. If she lingered any longer she would cave in, scream yes, beg for forgiveness, hug him, kiss him, love him… hold him back.

Sakura finally allowed her tears to fall as she walked away from the love of her life. Weeping into her hands, she realized that from now on, every step she took would be one more in the opposite direction of him.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

The NejiTen tennis parts are dedicated to the 2016 Olympics! Thanks SO MUCH for the reviews and please keep them coming! I hope this chapter was enjoyable, it concludes the SasuSaku flashbacks. Stay tuned for Chapter 6: Confessions.


	6. Chapter 6

Sakura adjusted her cellphone to better scrutinize the set of numbers in her hands. "Hinata, am I putting a down payment on a house or buying flowers? Because this is way too much yen."

The voice from the speaker sighed. "I'm sorry. The florist was my responsibility."

"Hey, Don't sweat it! I was going to Sai's anyways and this is right next to Roppongi. I'm just...," the pinkette barely suppressed a whimper at the price tags, "Double checking."

Sympathy emanated from the other line. "I'd like red and white roses please, and you can put everything under my father's name. Aa, but I still haven't gotten a chance to talk with you about-," the nurse's tone suddenly turned grave, "I have to go. The paramedics just brought in another patient."

Hinata ended the call and the doctor's expression darkened considerably. The hospital's emergency room was bombarded by a spike in activity ever since they returned from Tatadohama Beach. It was especially unsettling because the majority of cases concerned-

"Girl, that shade you're throwing is so intense, I might never get a tan again."

Sakura realized she was, indeed, glaring the flowers to death. Peering around, she found a periwinkle-eyed redhead looking expectantly back at her. "Do I know you?"

The stranger tugged at her hair, exposing the fiery mane as a wig. Down tumbled platinum locks and Sakura gasped. "Ino! What are you doing here?"

"My family owns this store." The supermodel answered matter-of-factly. "What brought you here?"

"Maid of honor duties." Sakura eyed the fake hair suspiciously.

"Oh, for the Hyuuga-Uzumaki wedding? Shikamaru's been bitching about that for days." Ino mimicked the groomsman taking an imaginary drag. "Troublesome this, troublesome that. I'm going to pass out if I cared any less, bah."

Sakura clapped mirthfully. "So how've you been? I haven't seen you since… you know, the incident." Not technically true - she merely ran into 40 million pictures of Japan's OTP every day. While she _did_ find the images and paparazzi distasteful, she didn't perceive Ino in the same light. That would be petty. Besides, the blonde had an infectious energy that was difficult to dislike.

"I've been great, just busy. I literally have to wear a disguise to hide from reporters getting all up on me - freaks." Ino jiggled the wig. "And yourself? Don't forget I owe you a favor."

"How about I call that in right now? I've been swamped with wedding planning and I could use your help picking out flowers. I'd much rather differentiate coagulation markers in people with atrial fibrillation." Sakura flailed helplessly at the catholic rose selection. "These are all identical to me."

Ino clasped a hand over her heart, scandalized. "How are you fluent in Einstein but can't tell apart the Boule de Neiges from the Parfum de Provences? You basic _plebe_."

"Sorry, I don't speak the language that lost every war in history."

"What was that? I should go Marie Antoinette on your ass?"

"How, by serving me cake?"

"I was talking about her beheading, but at least _she_ could fit her forehead through the guillotine!"

"You just cancelled out your own threat, you uncultured swine!"

They clicked their tongues haughtily and, a second later, burst out laughing in unison. For the next few hours, Ino exchanged her floral expertise with the medic's comical stories about the engaged couple. The errand could've finished much quicker, but they genuinely enjoyed each other's company. Their upbeat personalities jived well together and, as an added bonus, Sakura bounced more wedding ideas off her new friend.

In the throes of finalizing the floral arrangement, the physician vied for another piece of advice. "Question: where's a good place for a bachelorette party?"

"Male strip club," Ino replied instantly, "But pregame at the Macho Cafe. Waiter-hunks pour your beer and crush the cans with their fists, or you can get the 'wall of meat' where five flexing Adonis' surround you. _Hnngh_."

Something about Hinata tipped Sakura off that neither choices would be ideal places to throw down. "What about somewhere with a little less dick in your face?"

"Hm...," Ino tapped a finger on her chin in contemplation. "What about a fashion show that I'm walking this weekend? I can score you extra tickets."

Sakura lit up - that had promising potential for a good time! "That's a fantastic idea! Can you really do that?"

Ino waved a perfectly manicured hand in the air. "Duh."

* * *

Instead of watching half naked men, Sakura found herself staring at half naked women. Ample bosom paraded the stage and the rosette chuckled nervously at her entourage.

"Er... when Ino told me she had a fashion show, she didn't mention it was for a lingerie line."

Hinata smiled like a team player while Tenten cringed in disbelief. It was Hanabi who spoke. "Do you think we can try some of those on?"

Ino sauntered onto the cat-walk right as the question passed Hanabi's lips. Sakura couldn't help but notice the gorgeous model's mile-long legs, show-stopping curves, and wolfish smirk. No, she wasn't bitter or jealous at all. Nope, she was NOT the green eyed monster - and it was total coincidence that her eyes were actually green, damn it.

"Shh!" Tenten clamped a hand over her co-bridesmaid's mouth. "Are you crazy?! She almost heard you!"

The younger Hyuuga freed herself from captivity and hollered at the stage. Ino answered affirmatively by winking in the group's general direction.

"What have you done?" The brunette grumbled into her hands.

Although Sakura was mindful of her roommate's dismay, Hinata's feelings took precedence. This was her bachelorette party, afterall. "We can go if you're not enjoying this."

The bride-to-be searched the ground bashfully. "Please don't. This is actually quite spontaneous. Maybe if I'm lucky, I can find…" She peeked an eye at her maid of honor. Sakura picked up what her best friend was putting down and grinned knowingly.

"Four glasses of champagne, please!" The doctor hailed the staff.

"Make that six," Tenten advised, "Hanabi opened Pandora's box on our sorry asses."

Despite the manager's misgivings, the fashion show was a huge success. Stunning supermodels strutted to catchy background music and the crowd went wild.

Themes titled 'Silk Fantasies' and 'Lace Indulgences' debuted with matching stage sets and lingerie collections. Empty flutes of champagne tripled in number as the party of four laughed the night away. Sakura had fabricated a game of 'rate-the-outfit' which her companions enthusiastically partook in.

The quadruplet cheered louder than the rest of the audience each time Ino graced the runway, with Sakura and Hanabi whooping the loudest. And, when time came for the curtain call, the maid of honor rallied everyone into a standing ovation.

"That was hella fun!" Hanabi gushed, pale face flushed with alcohol. The group was trekking backstage courtesy of the V.I.P. passes from the star of the show.

"It was," Tenten agreed, draining her nth drink, "But things are about to get real ugly. You have no idea what Ino is capable of." One does not simply forget the horrors Shikamaru and Chouji endured thanks to their 'hometown guardian angel.'

Sakura quirked a brow at the statement as they neared said woman's dressing room. The door flung open upon arrival.

"Welcome ladies," Ino purred, "To the sexiest private collection on this side of the universe."

The physician gaped at the racks of lingerie displayed beyond the doorway. Ino owned more bras than she did medical textbooks! " _Wow_."

"Wait until you try on these bad boys." Ino smiled warmly over her introduction to the Hyuugas. "Seriously though, knock yourselves out - there's plenty of different sizes. I've got everything from 32A to 36DD." She glanced between the maid of honor and the bride.

Sakura crossed both arms indignantly over her chest. "That is _not_ my bra size."

"Whatever, I was being nice. 30AA."

"Even if that _was_ right, my boobs would STILL be bigger than your brain!"

"But not as big as your forehead!"

"Alright, children," Tenten interrupted, "Let's settle down."

Ino promptly dropped the spat and conspired against her college friend. "Will do - as soon as you settle into one of these sexy little things."

Miffed at the betrayal, Sakura added, "Everyone's doing it." She used the perusing sisters to prove a point.

Peer pressure was at an all time high and the brunette glared at her so called 'friends.' "I don't have anyone to wear it for."

"Psh, neither do I," dismissed Ino, "or Sakura."

"Actually, I have a boyfriend."

"Just kidding, neither does Hanabi."

"Well, there _is_ a guy from school…," the girl trailed off, casually inspecting a teal corset.

"What?" Hinata perked in alarm. Hanabi's eyes begged, 'Please don't tell dad or Neji!' before sprinting to the changing stalls.

"Seriously?! Come on," Ino griped dramatically, "Everyone's in a relationship! Temari, Karui, Sakura, Hinata's getting hitched, and even her sister who's like, 12, has a boy! Tenten, we gotta up our game and wingwoman for each other."

"Absolutely not," the manager declined, "I did enough matchmaking for you during my day job."

Sakura's gaze snapped in their direction before returning to the lingerie on the table - something not lost to the heiress.

"But that's work, panda bear! I'm talking about off camera."

Tenten massaged her temples. "If this is about Sasuke, then I've only ever seen him interested in tennis."

"But what about all those rumors?"

"They're mostly staged. It helped with publicity and money, but that's not necessary anymore. Honestly, I can't believe he agreed to your idea and even kissed you in public! He's usually super private."

"Which means something, right?" Pressed Ino, shaking Tenten's shoulders. "Pretty please? I've got a feeling about this."

"Ugh, fine, maybe you're different," Tenten relented at last, "But you are _not_ setting me up with anyone."

"And why the hell not? You deserve someone, too!" Ino counted off her fingers, "You're smart, successful, beautiful and in need of a 'plus one' for Hinata's wedding. Right, ladies?"

"Right." Came Sakura and Hinata's distracted response.

"Plus, I won't find a rando because I'm _that_ awesome." Ino promised with a flip of her hair.

The brunette visibly deflated. Arguing against Ino was a lost cause - moreso now that she was cornered one to three. This was exactly what she feared when Hanabi opened her big mouth; justice must be served later. Vying for the bottle of wine on the dresser, Tenten grimly realized that she had just jumped from the frying pan and into the fire.

* * *

Sakura debated what was stranger - her roommate vanishing after the fashion show or the knocks at the door. It was nearing midnight and, as far as she knew, Sai was in Yokohama for work.

Peering through the peephole and unlocking the door, the physician exclaimed in surprise, "Hinata, come in! Where's Hanabi? Are you hungry? Do you want tea? Wanna stay over?"

The nurse giggled at the instantaneous hospitality. "Hanabi went home since she has to return to school tomorrow morning. I'm not hungry, but tea sounds delightful. I would love to spend the night, too, if that's alright."

Sakura grinned and snapped finger guns at her bedroom. "Obviously; help yourself to my clothes and I'll be right there with drinks." She skipped into the kitchen and wondered what spurred the impromptu sleepover. Hinata might be busier from the increased ER activity, but that wasn't something to overwhelm the skilled nurse. Unless this has to do with...

"Oh my God," Sakura tore into her bedroom, "Are you getting cold feet about the wedding?"

Her guest stood facing away.

"No, I'm not having second thoughts." Hinata spun around, clutching something to her chest. "This fell out of your closet. Normally, I would put it back but… it involves something I've been meaning to ask you." She unfurled her hand to show an old photograph. "Care to share your story?"

Sakura staggered against the wall, dumbstruck. She was in the midst of cleaning her closet yesterday when Tenten's unannounced homecoming caused her to hastily shove everything back in disarray. The picture in Hinata's hand captured two deeply in love teenagers under a copse of cherry blossoms. It was impossible to mistake the girl and boy between her blush-colored hair and his handsome good looks.

"Both of your strange behaviors make so much sense now." The heiress mentally connected the dots. "Since when were you two a couple?"

"We're not!" Sakura denied, "Sai's my boyfriend, I would never-!"

"I meant in the _past_ _,_ " Hinata elaborated, glancing at the figures in the picture, "However, your violent reaction begs the question: what's going on between you and Sasuke? Why are you acting like you don't know each other?"

A heavy silence suffocated the room.

"This is clearly upsetting you," Hinata gently guided them to the bed, "And as your best friend, I have a vested interest in your well-being. You're behaving… oddly, like I've never seen before. What happened?" The Hyuuga wasn't keen on pressing so adamantly, but Sakura was notoriously recalcitrant when she wanted to be.

The medic squeezed her throbbing chest. She avoided the issue because it forced her into the perilous seams between remembering and forgetting, but Hinata deserved to know. Like a true best friend, Hinata never lied to her. A strangled cry lodged itself in Sakura's throat, pushing her dangerously close to spilling the waterworks.

Hinata drew the other woman into a warm embrace. "You know I wouldn't tell a soul. Bottling things up is never beneficial in the end, anyways."

Why, why did Hinata have to hug her? Before Sakura could stop herself, she dissolved into a fit of tears. She wept cathartically, clinging onto her friend for support.

This shocked the nurse to new heights - it marked the first time that Hinata witnessed the cheerful doctor crying solely for herself. The few occasions when Sakura _did_ cry was always for her friends, patients, or loved ones of others. This construed a totally different nature of emotions.

Minutes passed before the sobs abated into sporadic hiccups, yet Hinata didn't stop soothing her friend's back. Slowly, Sakura revealed the truth about her history with Sasuke, using Katsuyu and a dated photo album to guide the tale along. It was a bittersweet hurt recalling their relationship, but it felt like a massive weight was being lifted off her shoulders.

The clock ticked 1:00 AM when the pair finally curled onto the mattress, emotionally spent.

Though the pictures were out of sight, they were not out of mind. Hinata recognized the emotion etched across the once lover's young faces in perfect clarity - it was identical to her's whenever she looked at Naruto.

"You loved him more than yourself," whispered the confidant, "You sacrificed your love for his dreams."

"At least it wasn't in vain, right?" Sakura choked out a self-deprecating laugh. "Maybe our country should formally thank me for not holding back the national treasure."

"But do you still love him?"

Much to Sakura's chagrin, Hinata never failed to pique the most profound questions. "...Sai and I have only been dating for a month…"

"Do you still love _Sasuke_?"

She sighed in defeat and closed tired, swollen eyes. "I honestly have no idea. But it doesn't matter, anyways. He's the Prince of Tennis… and I'm just Sakura."

* * *

Per usual, Tenten accomplished astonishing feats that made Neji doubt her status as an ordinary civilian and not an operative in the Public Security Intelligence Agency.

"How did you bypass security?" The Hyuuga demanded from behind his desk.

She kicked the door shut and stumbled into the office. "That's confidential."

Neji could read her body language from a mile away. "You're drunk."

"And you're se- _still_ working!" Tenten pretended to fix her buns to conceal the warmth flooding her cheeks.

"Why are you here?" He stiffened his spine in suspicion - she was a complete wildcard when intoxicated.

His surprise visitor proved him right by catapulting her bag next to his chair, swiveling on top of his desk, and sliding directly in front of him. "I'm sure you know why."

Neji clenched his jaw, unamused by her encroachment on his personal space within his personal territory. "Leave my office, Tenten."

"Not today, Hyuuga." She rebelled, kicking the phone off the tabletop with a tanned leg.

Neji systematically reached for the hidden security alarm near the keyboard tray, but his counterpart seized his hands to tie them behind the chair with – rope?

"Uh uh, that was a devil of a learning experience last time." Deadpanned the brunette, securing the final knot.

"What the hell are you doing?" Neji gritted, feeling her palm against his chest. The ordeal was already inconceivable without her accosting him.

Grunting, Tenten abandoned the fruitless body search and stretched for her bag. She unintentionally knocked it over, causing a silky bra, garter belt, and matching thigh highs to tumble on the ground. Neji cursed under his breath at the absurd turn of events.

"Oops," the woman shrugged, "Those came from Hinata's bachelorette party."

His ire multiplied exponentially. On top of the already dicey situation, he now discovered that the only cousins whom he gave a damn about attended an event which distributed skimpy lingerie.

Tenten, meanwhile, dialed into her phone and waited until Neji's device vibrated from inside the desk. She switched off the mobile and tossed it behind her, satisfied that his cellphone was out of reach.

"There's a reason why I chose to come so late, you know. Less employees, less people to throw me out, and a 100 percent chance that you'd be here." Mentally congratulating herself, the intruder perched on the edge of his desk to execute the second part of her plan.

"Cease this nonsense at once," Neji lectured brusquely, "And I cannot believe that I'm saying this, but: untie me."

She jutted her chin defiantly. "Not until you agree to be my tennis partner. I know you've been avoiding me because of that."

"You're impossible."

"Says the guy who won't face the facts. Stop denying that we'd make a great team!"

He never said they wouldn't. Over the days of aggressively dodging her, Neji conceded to as much. She played offensively while he played defensively, she reigned the baseline while he ruled the net, she was lethal with flat shots while he was formidable with spin. The balance created a perfect gold standard for doubles partners.

Tenten vocalized similar sentiments. "...and besides how well our strengths complement each other, we know everything about our respective styles. We've played together since college."

"We attended different universities."

"Yet we _still_ went to each other's competitions. Ask me about any of your home matches, I dare you."

"With pleasure - was I playing singles or doubles throughout my entire college career?"

"Singles," she granted begrudgingly, "But singles players compete in doubles all the time. We're more than capable with practice."

"And is that before or after my wrist miraculously healed itself?"

"You're a genius, Neji," her eyes and tone softened substantially, "And I know you can overcome your injury. I mean, who can switch hands mid-game and still dominate on the court like that? You made me work for that victory." A hesitant pause. "I know it won't be the same, but that's why I'm here. You're always the one helping everyone else so-,"

"Case in point: I'm coaching Sasuke. And need I remind you, you're his manager. We both have obligations and restraints."

"And what about the obligations to ourselves?" She argued. "I never said we'd abandon Sasuke, but that doesn't mean we can't practice together. You never gave up physical training, so that only leaves working on your left hand - and I personally volunteer to help with that."

The businessman bristled. "Neither of us are doubles players, Tenten, there are strategies involved. And regardless if we managed to overcome that flagrant shortcoming, tell me, what is your endgame?"

Well, that was a loaded question. She tugged at her hair unconsciously.

Whereas Tenten suffered from a deficit of words, Neji had an abundant supply. "Is it fortune? Fame? Both are more prominent in the singles championship."

She dropped her jaw, aghast. "That was never what tennis was about - for either of us! And I clearly don't care about any of that since I...!"

Tenten could feel him visually drilling holes into her, waiting for an answer. "...miss competing professionally. But I'm out of practice, which is why I'm gunning for mixed doubles. Like I said, glory was never a part of the equation for us. The intensity, the artistry, the excitement - don't think for a second that I don't see you living vicariously through Sasuke."

He ignored the bait. "Without endorsements or an official invitation, we'll essentially need to pay out of pocket for a competition that we have a less than five percent chance of winning."

"We don't need to split the costs. I'll cover it all because that's how much I believe in us."

"You forget yourself-,"

"Wrong!" Tenten snapped, blood boiling, " _You_ forgot yourself. You're throwing everything away! Your passion, talent, potential-,"

"I never threw anything away. My fate was decided for me, the same night it sealed my father's."

Her heart plunged, taking the mood along with it. The accident which catalyzed a bleak period in their shared history was a taboo subject between them. Speechless and hurt, she wasn't even aware that another man entered the office.

"Mr. Hyuuga." The guard intoned, duly confused by the scene in front of him.

"How did you call security?!" Tenten jumped to her feet, startled.

Neji cocked his head in accomplishment. "My watch."

She smacked herself. Damn him. Damn technology!

He turned to the newcomer. "Hoshigaki, please escort-"

"No need." She mumbled, untying the knot arresting him and shouldering her bag. "I'll show myself out."

The dispute had a profoundly sobering effect and Tenten exited soundlessly out the door. Despite Neji's logic, her intuition still believed that this was the right cause. It was the same conviction she felt when she dragged him to meet Sasuke two years ago. And for what it was worth, all the trouble that it entailed, she'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.

* * *

"I'm going to disown you!" Sakura threatened her best friend, "I can't _believe_ you volunteered me to tutor at the orphanage - after what you promised!"

Hinata had the decency to look sheepish but didn't falter crossing the street. "I promised secrecy, not leniency to watch you suffer in silence."

"So you want me to suffer vocally? You saw what happened last time Sasuke and I spoke."

"I don't want you to suffer at all," the Hyuuga clarified in earnest, "But I think your troubles stem from the uncertainty you feel towards him. Nothing productive can be done until you figure that out."

Tenten denied any chance of a rebuttal when she shouted from the orphanage. "Hey friends!" She bounded over to them joyously. "Thanks for helping, Sakura. Our tutors recently committed full time to their EMT jobs so we're in the process of hiring new teaching aides."

The rosette plastered a tight-lipped smile and side-glared Hinata. "No problem, it's not like I'd rather be doing something else."

Tenten misinterpreted the comment, however, and she deflated immediately. "It's only temporary and not a big time commitment, I swear! I'm sure we'll find replacements soon. I'd do it myself but I'm garbage at math-,"

"It's okay!" Sakura reiterated, resigning to her best friend's schemes. "My hours changed again so this falls directly after my shift. I'm tutoring, right?"

The manager sighed in relief. "Yeah. And Sasuke will be teaching, too."

"Won't you be present, as well?" Hinata inquired, pleasantly surprised at the new installment.

"Nope," Tenten answered, missing Sakura's grimace, "My day's not over and I'm actually en route to a meeting."

The nurse's pager suddenly beeped and her friends waited until she finished reading the message. "It's my supervisor. She needs me to start my shift earlier."

They exchanged farewells before branching off, with the roommates continuing inside the building. Seeing how this was an after-school program, children steadily trickled through, fresh from class.

"Hi Tenten!" One of the girls skipped towards them. "Who's that?"

The brunette stretched out her arms as if unveiling a prize and Sakura flashed a peace sign. "Your awesome new tutor: Dr. Sakura Haruno."

"Sweet! I'm Konan, nice to meet you," she plucked an origami rose from her hair as a welcoming present, "I'm stoked that girls are finally evening out the odds around here - the boys love lording the numbers over us."

Sakura smiled at the gift. "Is that so?"

"Neji and I accidentally started a bit of a competition."

"Where Tenten kicked some serious butt!" Konan boasted.

"Technicalities," a strawberry-blonde boy contradicted from behind them, "Neji was injured."

The teens instantly forgot about the adults and entered the classroom, quarreling throughout. The women watched in amusement until Tenten checked the time and cursed. "Damn, I have to go! Sasuke's-,"

"Right here." The tennis player materialized and leaned against the doorway.

Tenten beamed, oblivious of the strained undercurrent. "Sakura's our substitute tutor, so show her the ropes. I'll catch you both later."

Sasuke waited for his manager to leave before addressing his new counterpart. "I didn't know your schedule had room for volunteering."

Sakura wondered which reply out of the hundreds in her head she should vocalize. "Altruism never hurt anyone, right?"

"Of course not." Sarcasm was Sasuke's natural talent.

Sakura crossed her arms and followed inside the classroom, opting to change the topic. "So how does this work?"

"The first hour is dedicated to homework where we field general questions. The second hour is for subject review. You're in charge of math and science and I'll be teaching English and Japanese."

The medic snickered ruefully, remembering their high school study sessions. "Still terrible at calculus?"

Sasuke glared at her and Sakura experienced a serious case of deja vu. In that moment, all she could see was a replica of his stubborn teenaged self who loathed to admit his academic weakness. She sniggered at the memory to which he parried with something unflattering in fast English.

Now that the proverbial ice was moderately broken, Sasuke extended the student roster to his partner. The teens were working diligently on their schoolwork so Sakura could only match their names to the crowns of their heads.

"Hey, can we talk outside?"

She did a double take, doubting her hearing. "Huh?"

Unexpectedly, the tennis prodigy grabbed her wrists and tugged her into the hallway. He closed the classroom door and inhaled deeply before speaking. "After thinking about what you said the other night, you're right."

Sakura stilled immediately. She wasn't prepared for him to address their previous encounter, but then again, he had a penchant for tackling problems head on.

In the same breath Sasuke added, "About the wedding. We need to set aside our past to focus. Naruto's idiocy will follow me to the grave if he's not promised off soon."

"Oh thank god," her whole body relaxed in palpable relief, "So… you'll help with the seating arrangements for the Hyuugas? And go to the fitting? And..," she rattled off a list of other assignments.

Sasuke considered her in subtle amusement. "Sure-,"

A crash resounding from the other side of the door alerted both adults. Swiftly, they sprinted into the classroom to find the genders divided, Yahiko laying on the floor, and Konan cracking her knuckles above him.

"She started it!" The supine boy accused the girl.

Sasuke looked nonplussed while Sakura regarded the situation more seriously. "What happened?"

"He was mocking me," Konan explained, "Said girls sucked at tennis."

"Evidenced by your straight losses." Muttered Yahiko, grumbling at the blatant disregard for the facts. He pushed himself up and dusted off his clothes.

The pinkette didn't want to exacerbate the feud, but she was inwardly annoyed at the conjecture. "Girls definitely don't suck at tennis. I beat Sasuke all the time."

Everyone, including the tennis celebrity himself, stared at her. Yahiko deliberated the news with skepticism and weaved both arms over his chest. "What, how?"

Sakura spared Sasuke from responding because he certainly didn't know what to say. "Just do your homework and you'll find out at the end of the session."

Her words instilled a sense of pride among the girls, but the boys remained unperturbed, confident in Sasuke's abilities having seen him play. Wordlessly, the teenagers pacified themselves and resumed their schoolwork. The subject review, too, transpired without disruption. Sasuke eyed his co-teacher curiously to question if this was intentional. It was.

Nightfall descended on Tokyo by the time the program ended. When the students rose to pack their bags, an annoyed Yahiko yammered, "Hey, what gives? You can't prove yourself now that the sun's down!"

Sakura noticed the sudden spotlight on her. "Where's your rec room?"

Konan pointed down the hall.

"Great," the doctor raised a fist to the ceiling as if calling everyone to action, "Let's go!"

The horde of teens disappeared after Sakura and her plans finally dawned upon Sasuke. He quietly praised her manipulation skills with a smirk.

" _Perfect_!" Sakura plucked Mario Tennis 64 from the shelf of video games. Her following collectively groaned.

"Is this a game to you, woman?" Yahiko growled, snatching the cartridge.

Sakura swiped it back, blowing on it for good measure. "Uh, yeah? Don't give me your shit, you little brat! This still counts. Besides, nobody can play outside without any lights."

"Are you scared?" Konan goaded, sloping her nose upwards.

Yahiko flustered. "Hell no, it's a video game." His army of boys echoed in agreement.

"Definitely scared." Sakura feigned an obvious whisper to the blue haired girl.

"Screw it. You're on, lady!"

* * *

"SASUKE!" The tennis prodigy had just locked the classroom when a pained yell reverberated down the hallway. "Avenge me!"

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke trekked into the recreation room where a defeated Yahiko glowered sourly at the preening woman next to him.

"Girls are way better at tennis," declared Sakura, casually inspecting her nails while balancing the game controller on her lap, "Look at the facts. I _only_ beat you five straight times."

The man at the doorway snorted. "How impressive of you."

Sakura squeaked in surprise, thinking he already left.

Yahiko wiggled his fingers with flair. "New challenger approaching: Sasuke Uchiha!"

The teenage girls, torn between their fangirl crush and displeasure of their peers, looked to Sakura for guidance. Sakura, torn between her rapport with them and her recently acquired truce with Sasuke, hesitated in response. "Um… we-,"

"Are going to play a round." Sasuke intercepted, claiming a controller to the supreme pride of the boys.

Sakura furrowed her brows, officially confused. "What?"

"Did I stutter?" He challenged. "We're playing a doubles match. Yahiko and I versus you and whoever of your choosing. Winner gets 10,000 yen."

Sakura sat, flabbergast; was he actually fueling this silly contest? Sasuke caught her attention and tacitly urged her to play along. Finally understanding his scheme, she nodded subtly and put on an act.

"Oh dude," Yahiko jeered, "We just won."

The woman snorted snidely. "Konan? Ready to drown their asses in defeat?"

The younger girl grinned gamely and plugged in another controller. "With vigor."

The four competitors settled in front of the television with the rest of the teenagers encircling them. It was in that moment that Iruka entered the premise, intrigued by the commotion.

"What's going on in here?" He asked, tickled by the scene.

"Video game tournament." Nagato informed matter-of-factly, engrossed with the digital match on the television.

Iruka chuckled at the unprecedented energy and wondered who perpetrated such liveliness. As he approached the center of the crowd, he was surprised to see Sasuke at the forefront, complicit in the festivities. With his busy schedule, the tennis star barely lingered after hours. Iruka couldn't help but smile nostalgically - Sasuke's interactions with Yahiko was reminiscent of his relationship with Naruto.

"What possessed you to do that?" Sasuke waved an incredulous hand at the screen.

Yahiko puffed his chest in defiance. "Of course I had to do something! You might be the Prince of Tennis in real life but you are the _king_ of not having your shit together in Mario Tennis."

"I don't know what inspired me to choose you as a partner."

Meanwhile, Sakura and Konan high-fived each other and the girls next to them rejoiced. "Cough it up," the rosette commanded with a teasing grin, "We're buying dessert."

"10,000 yen of dessert?" Sasuke reached for his wallet. "Are you feeding a small army?"

The math tutor deferred to Konan in a hushed whisper. After a brief debate, the blue haired girl cleared her throat to address the room. "The council has spoken!"

Yahiko chortled, subsequently garnering him a bruise from Konan.

"We'll get dessert for everyone _if_ the boys admit that girls don't suck at tennis."

"They clearly don't," Sasuke rejected flatly, "Have you seen Tenten? And the only person in history to win a Golden Slam is a woman. Plus, the Williams sisters are the only people to have ever won four Olympic tennis gold medals. Each."

Sakura smiled furtively at her partner in crime. Since his words were basically law for the boys, they immediately believed and reformed - much to the girls' satisfaction.

After giving the money to Iruka, the tutors made way to leave the orphanage. A chorus of farewells chauffeured their way out and Sakura made sure to accessorize her hair with Konan's origami flower. With a wave, the two adults exited into the night.

"Good job," Sasuke commended, "You somehow made this session significantly easier."

"Well," Sakura reflected humbly, "Your plan solved the bigger issue. No more bickering teens."

The tennis star smirked. "Go on...,"

She elbowed him for his cockiness and immediately regretted it; that was a habit from the past. A fleeting glimpse, however, revealed that he thought nothing of it - or at least pretended not to. Sensing the creeping silence, Sakura piped, "So where are you headed to?"

Sasuke peered down at her in response.

It was the first time in years that they stood together in close proximity and she was quick to realize their glaring height disparity.

Noticing the evil eye, he ventured, "What?"

"Nothing." Sakura dismissed, folding her arms together. Sasuke stayed quiet but inwardly counted to three. If his memory served him correctly, then-

"You grew taller."

He smirked wryly at her flawless timing and slowed his pace in exaggeration. "Are you having a hard time keeping up?"

She smacked him, unabashed this time, and laughed at the familiarity of their banter. Turning her attention to the road, Sakura found her destination coming into view. "Oh, you're going to the hospital, too?"

"No." Sasuke deflected with a shrug. "Just figured you were."

"You didn't have to do that," she exclaimed, secretly touched by the gesture, "I can fend for myself, you know. I started judo in college."

The man vaguely recalled an arm chair being chucked at him. "That explains a lot."

Sakura refrained from another punch having reached the hospital's automatic doors. The smell of antiseptic already perforated the air. "You haven't scheduled a check-up yet," she mentioned mildly, "How're you doing?"

Sasuke unconsciously stretched his back. "Okay. I resumed full-time practice."

"Without medical clearance?" Sakura boxed her shoulders, incensed. "What the hell, Sasuke! You're coming in for an appointment tomorrow whether you like it or not!"

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Sorry for the delay; GREs were awful but they're finally over so I'll try to update faster. Thanks to everyone who reviewed - I'm in a puddle of feels! Please drop me another comment and tell me what you think. Stay tuned for Chapter 7: Unexplored territories.


	7. Chapter 7

Sakura didn't have to use the scientific method to figure out that Tenten was not all present. "Do you want me to drive?" She suggested, subtly gripping the door handle as the driver regarded yet another red light as a suggestion.

"No, I'm good."

They were well over the speed limit and Sakura could only watch her life flash by so many times. She switched to her authoritative tone reserved for difficult patients. "Tenten, pull over. What's going on? This should be an exciting night."

The command was heard and they came to a steady halt at the side of the road.

"I mean, it's not every day that your client wins the Best Breakout Athlete of the Year award."

The driver killed the ignition sullenly. "I know… I _am_ excited, but I've been stuck on a stupid problem that shouldn't be that hard to solve."

Sakura nodded sympathetically; Tenten's predicaments were reminiscent of her own. It was two days ago when Sasuke missed his doctor's appointment, and judging from his staunch avoidance of her calls, it was deliberate. The tennis foundation didn't run on weekends, so he wasn't at the orphanage, and Naruto's been working over time, so she didn't want to be a bother. Tenten was the next best bet, but she was unusually dispirited, creating another set of issues. Sakura was about to resort to Neji when her roommate suddenly extended an invitation to the Professional Sports Association's award ceremony.

Nonchalantly confirming her patient's attendance, Sakura saw it as an opportunity to track down the root of her troubles and address Tenten's.

"Maybe you're tackling the problem from the wrong angle," the pinkette suggested, "There's normally more than one way to solve something."

She led by example and tried a different approach in cheering up her friend. She unlocked the door and prompted the other woman to do the same. "Now get out, I'm driving. We almost died nine times in the last 45 minutes."

That earned her a half-hearted smack. In no time, they switched positions and continued their journey. Sakura flipped through the radio and blasted an energy-pumping song.

"Get ready to be extremely impressed with my singing!" She proceeded to belt out the lyrics, evoking a hearty laugh from her passenger. Joining in to form a duet, the two dolled-up roommates engaged in animated karaoke. Absolutely no shits were given at the quizzical stares they garnered on the road.

"Thanks, Sakura," Tenten chuckled, "You're a great friend. First you house me and now you're constantly saving my ass. I'm really lucky to have you."

"You're paying half the rent, fam!" Sakura winked. "Plus, you're always spoiling me with delicious food." Between that, driving her to work, and introducing her to new friends, Tenten genuinely helped her, too.

"It's my pleasure," the brunette snorted, "Your cooking takes the MVP award for Most Vomit Potential, anyways." A memory of Sakura's sesame dumplings, which both resembled and tasted like a rock, served as an unsavory example. It was a flat out insult to Tenten's favorite dish.

"Don't make me crash your new car," the physician warned jokingly, "Seriously, though, you'll solve whatever's bothering you - remember last time? You were stressed from work but now Sasuke just won a national award! So reap the rewards and live it up. Plus, the baseball team's gonna be there and if you're _really_ lucky, you might find yourself a man so Ino won't have to."

Tenten watched the passing scenery in whimsical fancy. "If I'm lucky…" She fingered the fabric of her maroon jumpsuit absentmindedly until a resplendent convention center panned into view. "We're here! And look, there's Ino!"

Sakura was too floored by the grandiosity of the venue to respond. Tenten laughed at her star-struck expression. "Time for the cameras. Just pose for two pictures then continue to the entrance; easy."

The doctor dared a glimpse at the paparazzi and had an urge to nope the hell away. Before she could, however, a valet opened the door and bowed politely. Sakura womaned up, thanked the man, and slid out of the vehicle.

Instantly, the press flocked to her in droves.

"Who are you?" "Who did you come with?""What are you wearing?" Were three of the many questions assaulting the astonished newcomer. Public speaking she could do, but the red carpet was on another level.

"That's Sakura Haruno, my roommate." Tenten smoothly intercepted with a supportive thumbs up.

"And that's a dress from Guess's spring collection." Ino contributed, emerging from the crowds. She stooped down for a hug, whispering, "You're, like, two seasons late, Forehead."

Sakura discreetly yanked on the model's ponytail. "Shut it, Bacon. I save lives in scrubs every day."

"Dr. Forehead." Ino amended teasingly, pulling away from the embrace. Sakura grinned - the playful banter restored her senses.

Tenten gasped and drank in the blonde's silver gown. "You look gorgeous tonight!"

Ino flashed a flawless smile which the photographers quickly capitalized on. Then from behind her, Sasuke materialized and placed a palm on the small of her back. Their body language revealed that he was her date. "She does, doesn't she?"

The ex-lovers shared a transient glance before the paparazzi swelled and separated them. Stepping aside, Sakura replayed the scene slowly in her head. Sasuke's words were rife with sincerity and, if she wasn't mistaken, underlying pride.

* * *

Tenten excused herself from a circle of sports managers and shuffled through the throng of other attendees. She greeted various coaches and athletes until stumbling upon her famous friends. As expected, the superstars attracted a healthy following. Ino was in her element and Sasuke, although dying inside, was a perfect gentleman when the occasion called for it.

Catching her eye, Ino winked in gratitude for 'helping a sister out'. The older woman saluted dutifully and turned to find, to her surprise, an equally sizable crowd. Except this one consisted largely of baseball players.

"There you are!" Sakura exclaimed, then lowered her voice. "I've been playing hunter-gatherer. Take your pick and thank me later."

The manager groaned. "No, you dork." She cleared her throat to disperse the gathering. "Show's gonna start. Let's head to the banquet hall."

Sakura waved amicably and trailed behind Tenten, who was speed walking in the opposite direction. "Why'd you do that? They were friendly!"

"More like _creepy_. And if one of them made a move on you I would kick their teeth in."

"Thanks, mom."

"Listen, the thirst from their eyes was literally so hard to ignore that I dehydrated my damn self," Tenten pilfered a flute of sparkling water from a server and held it up for emphasis, " _See_?"

The medic chortled and took a glass, too. They dropped the subject over a toast and wandered into the banquet hall together. Only Sasuke and Ino were present at their assigned table for six, meaning...

"Neji's late?" Did hell freeze over?

Her client shrugged. "He's not coming. A family obligation came up."

"Oh right," Sakura chimed, taking a seat, "Hinata said it was the Hyuuga's monthly dinner today. It's a family tradition."

The small detail triggered a revelation so strong that it winded her. Thankfully, the emcee opened the ceremony and the lights dimmed.

Still feeling dizzy from the newfound theory, Tenten searched her memory for interactions with the Hyuuga's. How was she so blind?! Family and tradition heavily influenced them. Even Hanabi transformed into a classic lady with blue blood in the presence of her elders.

Tradition granted Hinata and Hanabi the freedom to pursue their passions outside of the family company. Their father, as the older twin, became the Chairman of the Toyota Motor Corporation and ruled the main branch of the clan. Strict as he may be, Hiashi adored his daughters, and what he said was law. Whether or not every clan member agreed with his actions was a moot point. The Hyuuga's operated in unity.

Tradition also strained Neji's ties with his kin. His father, the younger twin, was the leader of the branch house. This meant Neji inherited the responsibilities to strengthen the family business. Although his talents encompassed both tennis and finance, the elders demanded his complete dedication to the empire. This made for strenuous times in college where he struggled between two mutually exclusive variables.

So imagine the turbulence when he graduated summa cum laude from the University of Tokyo in Finance yet decided to pursue professional tennis.

...And then imagine what happened when he reached the final round of the French Open, only to fall victim to a terrible accident that changed _everything_.

A sudden uproar of applause derailed Tenten's thoughts. She must have visibly flinched by the way Sakura and Ino were scrutinizing her.

"Are you okay?" The former asked.

"Sasuke just thanked you in his speech, hon." The latter informed.

Tenten donned her most convincing smile. She contributed to the thunderous ovation when her client left the stage.

"Sorry, I was spacing." Tenten whispered, unconsciously fixing her buns.

Ino tsk-ed. "Well, in case you were wondering, it was a great speech."

"For being written in five minutes." Sakura mumbled under her breath.

Tenten chuckled - that sounded right. Sasuke detested formal affairs and was probably devising a ploy to escape. Unfortunately for him, his date thrived in these functions. As if on cue, Japan's Best Breakout Athlete of the Year returned with a crystal trophy.

"Congratulations, champ!" Tenten cheered with an obligatory thumbs up.

Sasuke nodded courteously and took a seat. The lights dimmed once more and Tenten could continue her previous train of thoughts.

The familial ramifications of the accident must be why Neji's rejecting her. Grief and shame plagued the Hyuugas for ages following it. They already scorned his deviance from tradition and likely labeled the tragedy as some divine consequence. Or worse, he still believed it.

But if that was true, someone needed to expose the absurdity of the notion. Tradition is fine until it becomes caustic and this scenario screamed all kinds of fucked up. Death and failure are not the products of breaking the mold. If Neji resumed tennis and won a Grand Slam, that would prove it - not only to himself, but hopefully his relatives, too.

Reaching this conclusion, Tenten realized she needed to leave. Immediately.

"Ow…," she cradled her head in pretense, "I have a monster headache."

"Do you want aspirin? Ibuprofen? Naproxen?" Sakura unzipped her wristlet.

"Two aspirins, please." Tenten smiled warily. "I think I've got my period."

"Woof." Ino grabbed her purse. "Do you need a tampon? Pad? Or are you a cup girl?"

Damn it, why were her friends so prepared? "I'm good, thanks." She flashed an apologetic look toward the blonde and turned to Sakura, summoning her inner actress. "I'm sorry, but can you get a ride home with Sasuke tonight? Now my stomach's killing me and I really want to go."

"Absolutely not! Let me help you, you're in pain."

Sasuke, sensing the bullshit, felt compelled to call it out. "No she's not."

He instantly regretted speaking. The women twisted their necks at him eerily, their expressions ominous.

"Right, because menstrual cramps don't feel like a serrated knife is carving out your insides or anything."

"Wow, that was super insensitive."

"What's wrong with you?"

Solidarity! Sasuke held up his palms to deescalate the situation. "Christ, I'll drive her home."

Tenten shook her head and prepared for a fast depart. "Don't worry about it, I can drive home by myself."

Sakura frowned, more concerned for her roommate than the turn of events. "Are you sure-,"

"Yes. Stay." Tenten ordered firmly. "Dinner hasn't even been served yet… and I need a full summary if anything exciting happens." She stood up to prevent further protests. "I'll be fine. Bye!"

The brunette exited the banquet hall and sprinted through the empty ballroom. Finally outside, she rummaged for her phone while waiting to collect her car from the valet.

"Hey, Hinata? I have a huge favor to ask."

* * *

Dinner was in procession after the national rugby team received the coveted Prime Minister Trophy. Two thirds of the table's original occupants were absent, hinting to Sasuke that something was off. Their seats were filled by other attendees instead.

"Excuse me for a moment."

Ino was previously engrossed in a conversation with some athletes but paused to acknowledge him. He bowed his head politely and took his leave.

Sasuke elbowed through the double doors leading to the hallway connecting the banquet hall with the ballroom. He proceeded onward and in the span of minutes, a certain pink haired woman focused into view.

They met in the middle of the extravagant corridor, eyes locked.

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere. Where did you go?"

"Nowhere."

Like mirror images, they crossed their arms over their chests - except he stared down at her while she slanted her chin up.

"Well that was productive," Sasuke drawled sarcastically, "You're obviously lying and acting suspiciously. You missed out on _dinner_."

Sakura fought fire with fire. "So missing dinner is unacceptable but missing a doctor's appointment is okay? And here I was with my priorities mixed up."

He didn't see that coming. Sarcasm was usually his weapon of choice; she merely used it to jest.

A terse pause transpired before something irksome dawned upon her. "Wait, was that a dig at my figure? Because I will end you."

Sasuke deigned Sakura a once over. The asymmetric rose-gold dress accentuated her petite body and fit her like a glove. His reference to her love for food flew straight over her head. Sasuke's eyes twitched at the stupid question.

"I told you my back is fine," he gritted, "And I doubt I'm the first person to refuse your 'doctor's orders.'"

"You're also not the first noncompliant patient, either. And trust me, I don't give up."

The tennis player performed a cursory scan of the environment. Unlike last time when she was severely pissed off, furniture was not around. In addition, a handful of guests lingered sporadically, thwarting any violent outbursts.

"Jeez, and you think I'm the one who hasn't changed?" The rosette barked a hollow laugh. "You're the one who's still stubborn as hell!"

"Look who's talking. Get off my case and drop it."

"I'm your _doctor_ ," Sakura was short, but the tone she used made her a giant, "It's my responsibility to look after your health. Respect my profession."

Apart from recent memory, Sasuke couldn't recall a time when she didn't yield after a few minutes of arguing. Of course, that's in the past, and their current predicament was anything but romantic.

"Respect my patient's rights," he retaliated, "Recommend another physician and I won't be your liability anymore."

"Let's be real - you're not going to follow through with that. What's the harm in getting examined? If you're fine, that's great, but if you haven't healed, then it could jeopardize your entire career."

Sasuke scowled at her melodramatics. He knew his own godforsaken body and their last check up still left a bitter taste in his mouth. "Again, not your business."

"Why are you being so difficult? I thought we agreed to be civil for the next couple of months."

Incredible.

Did she actually forget everything she did? Did she _actually_ overlook his repeated attempts to talk to her after she broke up with him? Apparently she must've forgotten her own actions but he sure as hell didn't. He even forfeited a tournament to attend her high school graduation where she was slated to speak. At his arrival, she immediately feigned sickness and disappeared for the rest of the ceremony.

Now she had the gall to call him difficult? Did she seriously think he would accept her back into his life so fucking easily?

"I'm purely putting up with you for matters concerning the wedding. Nothing else." For being so carefully observant to others, she was completely blind to how she affected him.

Fuck.

This was becoming a repeated occurrence. Seven years and thousands of miles apart, she still affected him… no, _afflicted_ him.

Sasuke continued with a scathing frost in his voice. "You're trying to cross boundaries where you don't belong. Stop creating chances for us to interact more than we have to. We're not going to see each other again after November."

Sakura swallowed deeply but didn't drop eye contact. It seemed like she was on the verge of breaking. "I knew this would happen." She whispered with a tremble.

Unexpectedly, she revealed the set of keys he left for the valet and created some space between them. "You hate these kind of things and were thinking about leaving, weren't you?" She looped the metal key ring around her index finger. "You haven't changed. So unless you agree to a final back exam, you aren't going anywhere."

Sasuke clicked his tongue in irritation. Was she related to Naruto? "I knew you were doing something stupid."

Pro: he was right. Con: so was she. And she didn't seem like she was returning his keys.

He swiped at his possessions but the pinkette defended herself with a halting finger that pointed over his shoulder. "Oh Sasuke, not in front of the cameras."

His posture stiffened as he peered around to see a reporter closing in. He clenched his jaw and masked his vexation. In haste, he dealt with an abbreviated interview then signed a personalized picture to prevent further solicitation. When Sasuke turned back, Sakura was already far down the hallway… with his literal key to escaping this miserable affair.

"Give me the keys." He commanded, jogging to catch up.

"Get the exam."

"No."

"That's too bad," she sighed, "This event is suppose to run for another four hours, not that I'm counting. In fact, I'm going to _love_ eating dessert, mingling, and dancing for the rest of the night."

Sasuke's temples throbbed at things he didn't give a shit about. She was rubbing it in his face! He lunged for his keys again in vain. They were fast approaching the double doors to the banquet hall where he'd be subjected to a full evening of torture.

In a last ditch effort, he shoved her into the nearest room.

"You freakin' psycho!" Sakura condemned loudly, "This is the men's bathroom!"

Good; less people to interrupt the ridiculous quest to reclaim his belongings.

The medic wanted to bolt but he blocked the exit. This was a high profile function that even Governor Sarutobi attended - she'd be livid if she was caught in a scandal. Luckily, the restroom was empty.

"The keys, _Sakura_." He advanced, extending an upturned palm.

"The exam, _Sasuke_." She retorted, having no choice but to retreat further into the room.

Another thing rolled into the galaxy and footsteps resounded near the doorway. Sakura froze and Sasuke automatically pushed them into one of the stalls. He was keen on avoiding unnecessary spotlight, too.

"Bruh, did you see the chick with the pink hair?"

"No. Who's this babe everyone's talking about?"

Did all baseball players tend to prattle when they peed? Sasuke was ticked - for being such a state-of-the-art building, the architects designed stupidly small toilet stalls. He looked at Sakura who stood rigidly.

"Shit, how could you not?! I mean… that ass." The subject of the conversation wanted to die. "I already knew she was wife material in the 15 minutes I saw her."

A derisive snort. "15 minutes?"

"Yeah… Tenten Long came and basically told the team to fuck off."

"Yo, that's rough. She's a fox but scary as hell."

"Definitely." The sound of a swinging door marked their departure. "That _ass_ , though!"

Sasuke smirked to Sakura's chagrin, then exploited her devastating embarrassment and seized the keys from her grip.

She planted both hands haughtily on her hips. "Fine, take them. But do you have a plan to get out of here? How are you going to dodge your screaming fans? Or the event staff?" She impersonated a parking attendant. "Mr. Uchiha! Where are you going? Aren't you staying for the midnight soirée?"

Sasuke scoffed and was about to reply when Sakura added, "Regardless if you _did_ have a plan, what are you going to do with Ino?"

He cursed - it was a work in progress.

"Face it," she had him cornered, "You need an accomplice. Fortunately, not only do I know a way out, but my services come at a reasonable price."

"How considerate of you."

"I'll get us out of here, but we're going to the hospital first," Sakura pressed, refusing to digress, "I'll make you an appointment with a colleague. I swear it'll only take 20 minutes and-,"

"Okay, okay," Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. She was rambling again. "Just _shut up_."

* * *

The Prince of Tennis slid into his car and shrugged off his suit jacket. For an autumn evening, it reminded him of summers in southern California.

"Who the hell let this toddler behind the wheels?" He asked, loosening his tie.

"Ha ha, you're hilarious," Sakura snapped, "Now sit back, we know you're in pain."

Ino leaned over the passenger seat to fix him with worried baby blues. "Sorry, I didn't know your back was bothering you. We could have left sooner if you told me." She gingerly offered his crystal trophy.

"I told her I was driving you to the hospital," Sakura explained, "And she insisted on coming along."

Sasuke glanced sideways at the driver. She must have told a white lie to explain their early departure. "Thanks," he took the trophy, "But I'm not incapacitated. I can still drive."

"Maybe you should listen to Sakura." Ino coaxed, oblivious to the victory smirk reflecting off the rearview mirror.

The telltale rumble of hunger overtook his rebuttal. Even amongst the beeps and honks of heavy traffic, the message was heard. A second later, Sakura's stomach grumbled as well.

"You guys missed dinner," Ino's eyes widened, "You must be hungry! Let's go to a restaurant."

The driver death-gripped the steering wheel and stared in horror at the congested road. She would starve to death before they found anything open. It was a Sunday night and the majority of businesses closed early. She strained to see a road sign ahead and was struck by inspiration.

"New plan." the pinkette shifted proverbial and literal gears. "We're taking a back route into the city."

* * *

The black Tesla parked neatly at the base of Mount Monomi. It was a quaint spot, lush with nature and a welcoming reprieve from the stifling urban setting. The temperature was cooler, too, and a wispy breeze stirred the air around them.

The trio exited the car and approached the modest convenience store nearby. Their journey was pleasant enough, although Sakura was keenly aware of the precarious undercurrent. Hinata pushed her to sort out her feelings for Sasuke while Tenten was matchmaking Ino with him. Concurrently, Sai had a special place in her heart and knew nothing… nor did Ino.

Besides Hinata, none of their mutual friends knew the convoluted mess that was their relationship. There was a niggling voice in her head that repeated, 'terrible person!' The guilt weighed heavy in her mind.

What was she suppose to do? Sasuke started the pretense but she dragged it along. How could she tell everyone the truth now? Where would she start? It was tough enough to tell her best friend, did the whole world need to see her meltdown, too?

It could've been awkward, but it wasn't. Ino talked, Sasuke sassed, and she laughed. Maybe she's a masochist, but overall, she was enjoying herself. She and Ino chatted like there was no tomorrow and Sasuke injected sarcastic humor when they thought he wasn't listening.

"Kids these days," the elderly shopkeeper sniffed, "What on Earth would possess you to dress to the nines and climb a mountain on a Sunday night?"

"Uh… good evening?" Sakura greeted after a pregnant pause.

"Mediocre evening." She corrected, groping behind the counter for her glasses.

Sasuke snorted. This lady was senile.

"The name's Koharu," the old woman supplied, "What can I get you children?"

"We're just stopping by for snacks; everything else is closed." Ino answered, tugging Sakura behind her.

Koharu finally donned her spectacles and squinted at her customers. "My… is that…," She flipped through a magazine under the counter and gasped. "Homura!" She shouted into the doorway behind the cash register. "Come quickly! Sasuke Uchiha and Ino Yamanaka are in our shop!"

Hurried footsteps burst into the room and the couple welcomed Sasuke and Ino zealously. Sakura rolled her eyes - she was basically a sack of potatoes! When the shopkeepers started regaling the superstars about their life story, though, she realized that might not actually be so bad.

Getting down to business, Sakura inspected the goods displayed on the shelves. She might be a hopeless cook, but eating she was _great_ at. Out of curiosity, she checked on her companions and giggled. Sasuke's eyes were glazed over but Ino was better at concealing displeasure.

When the physician returned with an armful of items, the celebrities sighed in relief.

"We must take a group photo!" Homura declared, whipping out a camera. He pressed the device into Sakura's palms and herded everyone else together. The poor woman laughed in self deprecation - being her meant suffering.

* * *

"No eating in the car."

Sakura whined but Sasuke held their meal hostage. Since when did he care about making a mess? And was he impervious to hunger? Her stomach growled in complaint, it needed sustenance hours ago.

Just as she was about to lose it, the clouds shifted overhead and revealed a waning moon that illuminated a wooden sign.

"There's picnic tables nearby!" Sakura perked, pointing into the woods.

Ino's bangs casted a shadow across her face that masked a grimace. Her objection died in her throat, however, when Sasuke started in that direction.

The rosette, eager to finally eat, kicked off her heels and galloped ahead. She didn't give a damn if her feet were getting dirty, food took precedence!

A few minutes later, a medium-sized fence blocked Sakura's path. Beyond the obstacle were the heavenly picnic tables. Tossing her shoes over the top, she started her ascent up.

"Here, hand me the food." Sakura raised her arms to receive the bag when the tennis star reached the area.

Sasuke cooperatively transferred the parcel then hoisted himself over.

The pair was busy setting up their dinner when Ino arrived. "Ugh, guys? My dress can't do this."

Sakura almost cried and Sasuke looked sour, too. They were so close yet so far. Sucking it up, they shared a tacit nod and raced to help their missing party.

"I'm going to help you on that side," the doctor instructed, clambering to the top once again, "Then Sasuke will help you down."

Ino wasn't paying attention - her sights were on Sasuke. "How'd you get over? Is your back okay?"

He couldn't help but glare at Sakura. "It's _fine_."

Ino decided to drop the subject, startled by his cold tone. Perhaps it was a sensitive issue. Afterall, it's not like she'd want her medical problems to be common knowledge, either. Her inner lecture was suddenly dismissed by Sakura kneeling at her feet. "What are you doing?"

"Your dress is constricting your legs so use me like a stool. Then haul your ass over and Sasuke will catch you."

The two women burst out laughing at the plan. It was solid, but not without theatrics.

"Step on me, Saint Yamanaka," the pinkette impersonated the shopkeepers, "Put your celestial feet on my worthless body."

The blonde doubled over in laughter and even Sasuke chuckled. Ino slipped out of her heels and held onto the railing before stepping on her friend. As promised, her Prince Charming assisted her descent. He secured his hands around her waist and she gripped his broad shoulders for support.

Ino flushed - she hasn't been this close to him since the kiss at the orphanage. Half of her was melting into a puddle of goop and the other half was cartwheeling.

"Great teamwork, guys." Sakura jumped down next to them. "Let's eat."

The trio gathered at the picnic tables and a feast was had. Ino nursed a bottle of coconut water while Sasuke took the carton of tomato juice. It seemed like he was really into tomatoes which was totally up Ino's alley, too - cherry tomatoes were her favorite.

"Damn, Sakura," the model whistled in amazement, "Do you have two stomachs?"

"You _are_ related to Naruto." Sasuke accused.

Sakura chucked an apple at him which he deftly caught and ate. She made a face at the man and took a bite of another apple without missing a beat. "I'm starving."

They dined in harmony until everything was devoured and cleared. Sasuke ended up stretching across the top of a neighboring table while the women hunched over Ino's phone. They were trying find their location but the network was lost near the mountains.

"We're somewhere near the entrance of Mount Monomi and a waterfall." Sasuke reckoned, eyes peacefully closed.

"How do you know?"

"Listen."

Silence permeated through the picnic area until the sound of muted humming replaced it.

Sakura clapped her hands enthusiastically. "We should go!"

Ino was about to decline when Sasuke sat up. A handsome smirk graced his lips and he tilted his head in the direction of the sound. Her knees felt weak and _damn_ she was still sitting down! He was seriously that hot. Slipping into her pumps, she quickly trailed after him.

A couple of hundred meters later, the fabled waterfall revealed itself. It wasn't spurting and gushing water like the Kegon or Fukuroda waterfalls; rather, it was quite serene. The stream resembled a sheet of aluminum in the moonlight, crumbling into a shallow pool. Mini whirlpools swirled like smooth velour where the water fell and produced soft crests that rippled outwards.

"Gojo Falls," The doctor read the bamboo sign from a distance. They beheld the hidden landmark in quiet admiration.

A sudden gust blew through the premise, sending miniature waves through the water's surface and shivers down Ino's spine. "Let's go-" She started.

"Cross that ledge!" Sakura finished.

The latter beamed at her companions with two thumbs way up. There was an elevated footpath bordering the edge of the pond. Judging from the neatly matted dirt, people frequently used it. How could they not? It led to lily pad shaped stepping stones that paved a way closer to the waterfall. Anyone could touch the water there!

Sasuke smirked at her unabashed giddiness and Ino… hold up. Ino fidgeted uncomfortably.

"On second thought," Sakura backtracked, "Let's-,"

"Do it!" The blonde urged, skirting forward. For once, she led the way.

The pinkette squealed in delight and padded after her, leaving Sasuke at the rear.

"This is a lot narrower in person." Ino noted, conscious of her footing.

"Go slow." Sakura reassured. "You're doing fine. I've got your- INO!"

She jinxed it.

They were almost at the stepping stones when Murphy's Law prevailed. A hidden rock caught the model's heel which effectively threw her off balance. She tipped downwards, screwing her eyes shut with painful awareness that she was about to plummet into the pond. So long, fashion shows.

Instinctively, Sakura lurched forward to jerk Ino towards land. She dug her foot into the ground in an effort to save someone who dwarfed her. Unfortunately, due to the lack of footwear, she slipped off the side and plunged into the water below. Ino, on the other hand, fell onto her butt but immediately crawled to the edge upon registering what happened.

"Sakura!" The two land-bound celebrities yelled.

"Fuck!" She swore, coupled with colorful expletives she learned from the labor ward.

The distance between the ledge and the water wasn't fatal, but the pool was shallow and layered with rocks. Sakura felt a sharp sting down the back of her right leg.

In an instant, Sasuke appeared trudging through the water. "Shit, are you okay?"

"I think so," she winced, assessing the damage. Her right foot seared in pain but her left remained unharmed. "I think I just messed up my right leg down."

"Sakura!" Ino hollered from the shore. "Are you hurt?!"

"Eh, I'm not dead!" She shouted back. "Are _you_ hurt?"

Sasuke was worried, but it seemed like she wasn't critically injured. He watched her attempt to stand and glided next to her. "Who needs a check up now?" He rolled his eyes - she was analyzing her leg like it was some algebra problem.

"Just _shut up_." Sakura imitated, offering a weak smile as he helped her to shore.

* * *

The back route into the city was significantly less crowded than the main highway. In 40 minutes, the group was downtown with the Tokyo Medical University Hospital towering above them.

Sasuke parked next to the entrance and ushered Sakura out of the vehicle. Meanwhile, Ino assumed the driver's seat and made her friend promise she wouldn't die - the wound looked brutal. Fortunately for Sakura, her white blood cells and platelets pulled through and her bones were all intact. She was going to be alright.

The black Tesla proceeded to the parking lot while Sasuke and Sakura branched off towards the hospital's automatic doors.

"I'm surprised you let me bleed in your car - heck, you wouldn't even let me eat in it!"

"Dearly beloved," the tennis star quipped sarcastically, "We are gathered here tonight for my new car seats."

"Jerk!" She bit her lower lip to suppress a growing smirk.

"Hn."

Before Sakura could throw another witty remark, a familiar figure stopped her in place. Sasuke, as her makeshift crutch, was pulled to a halt. He stopped to look back, but she was staring straight ahead.

"What are you doing here, Sai?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

Folks. I lived through a fanfic. For the last three weeks, I met up with my partner and his parents where they took me around China _fo' free_. We met as Peace Corps Volunteers in West Africa, meaning we didn't actually know each other's backgrounds. Six cities, five star hotels, fine dining, and private tours later, I'm back to writing - which I miss (and, to be honest, regular life)! Thanks so much for the comments thus far, I'd love it if you left a review :)

P.S. OMG at the animated forehead poke! But also omg at the funeral scene T_T


	8. Chapter 8

'The Hyuuga Manor is quite large' were Hinata's unhelpful words when Tenten called for clarification. The manager's phone had since directed her to a forested area which erased the urban backdrop - surely this was not where she was supposed to be. Downtown Tokyo was so far behind her that it would be a feat if the estate was still located in the city proper.

When she finally realized the road was actually a driveway and the manor was a castle all but in name, Tenten suddenly wanted to take a rain check. 'Quite large,' was a far cry from the real deal. She had to pass through security, drive over a bridge, and curve around a helicopter pad just to find the two-story garage!

Her sole Audi among the assemblage of Toyotas aside, she stood out flagrantly from her surroundings. For example, a handful of children mingled in the massive front garden decked in sumptuous suits and kimonos. Peering down at her own ensemble, Tenten concluded that: 1) her maroon jumpsuit clashed not only in color, but style and 2) nine-year-olds cleaned up better than her. Even her features - dark eyed, sun-kissed skinned, and pulled-up hair - screamed that she didn't belong.

"Good evening." Hinata bowed in classic decorum. Under normal circumstances, they would hug and laugh, but their current environment called for model behavior. The entire encounter reminded her of Naruto's maiden visit to the estate, except he had the advantage of being fastidiously briefed beforehand. Tenten, however...

Hinata turned to address the relative waiting behind her with a polite nod. "I will attend to my guest and find my own way to dinner. Thank you for your company, Natsu."

The cousin from the main branch shrewdly probed Tenten with flinty eyes and extinguished any shred of confidence the latter might have had.

"Shall we take a walk?" Hinata proposed sweetly.

"Y-yeah, sure." Tenten willed her feet forward in an effort to avoid the austere vitriol.

It wasn't until they were ambling eastward from the main entrance when Hinata spoke again, her demeanor notably more relaxed. "Welcome to my home, Tenten."

The older woman compartmentalized the judgment from Natsu and focused on cracking a convincing grin. "Let me explain you a thing, Princess. ' _Quite big_ ,'" she air-quoted, "Does not even _begin_ to cover this."

Hinata giggled softly, quietly interested in her friend's motives for coming. Tenten's request to find Neji was out of the ordinary since the two communicated seamlessly for as long as she could remember. "May I ask why you need to speak with my cousin? Having me as an intermediary seems… odd."

Tenten fiddled with her hair, debating how much to disclose. The revealing sign of discomfort was not amiss to the heiress. "Is something the matter?"

"Unfortunately." Concern spread across Hinata's face and Tenten hastily amended, "But it's nothing big! We just got into a small fight and he's being… well, _Neji_ _._ " She skipped through an elegant door leading inside the residence. "You know how he is."

Truth be told, Hinata didn't have a firm grasp on her cousin's inner workings at all. Although Neji cared deeply for her, he concealed his emotions from everyone in the clan. It can be said that his reticence is inherent, but she would be a fool if she couldn't distinguish between being reserved and being withdrawn.

The fateful accident surely changed him. And if it weren't for Tenten… Hinata couldn't fathom how life would have unfolded. She owed a great debt to her bridesmaid for staying by his side.

Although it troubled her seeing two loved ones fight, the nurse was wise enough to choose her battles - and this was certainly not one of them. "I hope everything is settled swiftly then," she pushed a button to hail the elevator, "Neji's room is on the fourth floor, last one on the right."

Tenten exchanged a playful comment remarking the Hyuuga's wealth for an appreciative smile. "Thank you. I won't keep him long!"

Hinata tarried pensively long after the sleek elevator doors closed. Neji's personal affairs were strictly off limits to her, but just how long will she have to watch him and Tenten run around each other in circles?

* * *

Although everyone in Neji's life responded in their own way when he distanced himself, they were nearly all similar in that they mirrored his actions. Hinata and Hanabi respectfully offered him space and even Naruto was sensible enough to do the same. Sasuke likewise ignored him and his relatives practiced saving face so religiously that their silence was gladly received. Yet Tenten, lo and behold, did not believe in this idea of backing off.

"Hi Neji-"

He yanked said woman into his room and caged her with his taller frame. Arms crossed and expression livid, the Hyuuga escalated the meeting from neutral to extreme in a matter of seconds.

"You are testing me, Tenten," Neji barked with overt irritation, "I explicitly declined to become your tennis partner, yet you continue to force your agenda onto me. I deigned to overlook the little stunt you pulled in my office, but this? If you want to salvage our friendship then end this farce. _Now_."

Despite being backed up against the door, his unwelcome visitor stood her ground. "Not a chance. I'm here _because_ I'm your friend."

"Your presence isn't doing anyone any favors. You know my family's sentiments towards you, especially if you're seen here with _me_."

Tenten was fully aware of the hostility thrown in her direction. She was, after all, the person who sparked Neji's path to coach tennis. The years between the fateful accident and their introduction to Sasuke was marked by him losing himself to the Corporation. He isolated himself in the office and while Toyota's financial efficacy improved tenfold, Tenten knew it was all at his expense.

"I do," she conceded and took the proverbial plunge, "And I also know how your family affects you. They're blaming you for what happened two years ago."

Neji opened his mouth to refute, but she quickly overrode any form of rebuttal. "For some ridiculous reason, they're punishing you. In their twisted sense of logic, they think you breaking tradition and following your dreams led to your dad's death," the brunette flung up outstretched hands in exasperation, "But the accident wasn't your fault! If you seriously believe that, then in the same vein you should think I'm a killer, too; my mom died giving birth to me. Yet that wasn't exactly in my hands to control, was it?

"You presume much," he dismissed, drilling her with an accusatory glare, "This is another one of your wild misinterpretations."

" _Misinterpretation_?" Her glare went toe-to-toe with his. "I know for a _fact_ that if the accident never happened, you wouldn't have quit competing, and we already established that you'd be able to play again after some localized training. Your passion clearly never stopped otherwise you wouldn't be fighting tooth and nail to coach Sasuke, so what the hell is your problem? Why are you denying yourself from happiness?"

Time seemed to freeze following the delicate question. They were standing the closest they've ever been with each other, yet never felt more apart.

"Oh my God," realization finally clicked into place when all the clues pieced themselves together, "You're hiding."

The anger on Neji's face dissolved like a scab ripped from the skin to reveal a bloody wound. Noticing the mistake, he diluted his emotions once more to reclaim careful detachment. "Agreeing to your offer would deconstruct a balance that took months to create. It's my prerogative to take my father's mantle and the accident merely expedited the inevitable. As it stands, I'm already pushing the boundaries working for Sasuke."

"You're playing it safe and wasting away your talents."

"My abilities encompass more than those used on the court."

"Then do both! So what if tennis and finance are two completely different things? You're a _genius_! Can you just own up to it? You can achieve anything you want because not only do you have the capacity to do it, you have the people to help you!"

In one unprecedented move, the woman leaned forward to wrap both arms around his torso. Neji instantly stiffened his posture from the unexpected boldness - though they had always shared a close companionship, it was never exhibited through physical touch.

"Your dad isn't your only pillar of support. You have Hinata, Hanabi, Naruto, Sasuke... me," she tightened her hold as if to convey something beyond simple words and semantics, "You help everyone else fulfill their ambitions, so please, _please_ , just let us return the favor."

Tenten's signature cinnamon scent invaded Neji's senses from their close proximity. Was it her heart that was beating so erratically, or his? "I am perfectly content with my life right now. I'm continuing my father's work, coaching a sport I love, and at the moment," unbeknownst to her, pearly eyes grazed the top of her head, "I am surrounded by those most precious to me. In spite of what fate had in store, I still achieved this much. Aren't you satisfied with how I made the most out of the situation?

His longtime friend prolonged the embrace for an extended second before disentangling herself. "No. Being content isn't enough. Maybe this isn't your fate - maybe you're hedging yourself from what it could be. I'm _proud_ of how far you've come, but you're stagnating. Coaching might have been a good substitute, but now you can do more. Let me help you, Neji!

He clenched his jaw in tandem with his fists. Why won't she just stand down? "Why are you so adamant about this?"

Tenten's answers were infinite. Because he practiced with her every day when they first met, even though he was leagues better. He was the person who pulled her together after Temari crushed her in a national tournament with half as much practice and twice the talent. As time passed, Neji gave her the confidence to reach the number one seed in their last year of college. The top 10 in the Women's Tennis Association rankings. The finals in the French Open.

The room fell quiet as she condensed all her reasons down to one. "Because I want to see you happy."

His pale irises grew cloudier, a tendency she knew intimately whenever he ruminated something with great consideration. At last, he took her by surprise and folded her into his arms.

"And I, you," Neji accepted softly, "However, be that as it may, it seems that our personal definition for happiness divides us." He stepped back and leveled her with a solemn stare. "My decision still stands."

* * *

Surprise, confusion, and concern flickered across Sai's usually stolid face when he turned around to the sound of his name. His girlfriend was limping on one foot with her dress mottled in dried blood and dirt. It took him another heartbeat to register his previous client assisting her gait. "Sakura! What happened?"

The woman tensed immediately and struggled to find the right words to explain the situation. Judging from the subtle flexion of his shoulders, Sasuke experienced the same reaction, too.

"She has a somewhat committed obsession for playing the hero." The tennis star summarized flatly, to which Sakura rewarded with a surreptitious pinch. He side-glared the culprit but said nothing.

"I was trying to save a friend from falling and took one for the team." She corrected pointedly, releasing her grip on him. Sai jogged next to her and she shifted over to lean on him instead. "I only messed up my leg and ankle a bit. It can't be more severe than a grade two sprain."

"You should be more careful," the photographer soothed affectionately while tweaking his stance to cater her weight, "Thanks for helping, Sasuke."

The athlete watched them with unreadable stoicism. "It was nothing."

"Hey, don't forget I saved your butt, too." Sakura reminded cheekily.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Hint taken. I'll leave you alone now." He swiveled at his feet and made way towards the elevators, throwing the couple a casual wave in farewell.

"Ninth floor!" She shouted at the retreating figure, acutely attuned to his fast exit. "Dr. Yakushi is waiting!"

"What was that about?" Sai inquired.

It was an innocuous question that constricted Sakura's stomach all the same. She understood what her boyfriend was asking, but he didn't know the depth his inquiry reached. "Can't say," the physician bowed her head in apology, "Patient confidentiality. Sorry."

Sai accepted the protocol with grace and dropped the subject.

"So what's Canon's hotshot photographer doing in a place like this?" Sakura decided to change topics on their tedious three-legged trek to the emergency department. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful you're here, but I know hospitals aren't exactly your thing."

Her boyfriend stretched his lips into a smile and didn't deny it. "I got worried when you didn't pick up your phone all night… especially when neither Hinata nor Tenten got through to you. I was hoping you ended up roped into a longer shift at the hospital, so I came here." Sai frowned at her physical state. "Excuse me if I overreacted, but I'm sure you're aware of the news lately."

"I am, I am. I work here, you know." She gave his hand a warm squeeze to assuage lingering concern. "I'm fine, though! Sorry for the lack of communication; we went to the Saitama Mountains to eat and explore. The service there was non-existent."

"Sounds like you had fun."

Sakura reflected on the spontaneous sojourn that was equal parts exhilarating and nostalgic. In many ways, their trip to Gojo Falls was reminiscent of the adventures she shared with Sasuke when they were younger versions of themselves.

A sad smile panned across her face. "I did."

* * *

 _A few days later_

A swinging _woosh_ of the changing stall door tore Ino's attention away from the fashion magazine in her hands. Her enthusiasm skyrocketed at the beaut before her.

"Ow, ow!" The model hooted, clapping giddily. "I'm sc- _reaming_! The sexy train has JUST left the station!"

Sakura tried to be a tad more poised in the stunning scarlet dress Ino forced on her. Really, she did. But the two crutches that were now one of her main modes of transportation had other plans.

"I'd feel a lot sexier if I looked less _stilted_." Based on the look Ino gave her, Sakura knew her pun was on point. She cackled maniacally at her friend's grimace.

True to her self diagnosis, Sakura did, in fact, suffer from a grade two ankle sprain. Moving has been an ordeal ever since Kurenai, one of the head nurses, fitted her into a cast.

Compromised or not, Ino was dead set on taking Sakura shopping. The doctor had saved her from peril twice - and at the expense of her own well-being nonetheless. Ino's schedule was all sorts of crazy for the next few weeks, so time was of the essence.

Ino clicked her tongue and repressed the urge to harm her friend for her incessant puns. "Twirl for me, you freakin' nerd."

The shorter woman abided by her instructions and spun in front of the full length mirror.

"Why are you staring at yourself?!" Sakura demanded, outwardly ticked. Did nobody catch the perfect pirouette she just pulled on crutches?!

"Where else would I be staring?" Ino sassed and tugged off her red wig. A cascade of golden hair rolled down her back and she proceeded to worry over it in the mirror.

"Uh, me?"

"Bae, I already checked you out and you are a fine ass bitch."

Sakura blushed the hue of her locks and studied her reflection - the lacy number might as well have been custom made. Ino waltzed beside her and sighed enviously at the low-cut neckline. "If only my boobs were small enough to pull that off."

Sakura puffed her cheeks and raised a crutch to maim the model. The latter nimbly dodged the attack and giggled in puckish glee.

"SASUKE!" A collective, strident shriek pierced the air. "OH MY GOD, I LOVE YOU!"

"Can I get an autograph?"

"Will you sign my tennis ball?"

"Will you sign my underwear?!"

Sprain be damned, necessity was priming Sakura for the next Olympic games. Without preamble, she twisted around and planted both crutches into the ground, using them as makeshift poles to vault into a changing stall. "What's he doing here?!"

Still dazed at her friends' dexterity, Ino uttered a distracted reply. "I have a date with him- oh hi, Sasuke!"

The frisked-looking man ducked behind the dressing room area, his hair wilder than normal. Ino concluded that it made him look fire hot.

"M-my heartfelt con-condolences, Mr. Uchiha!" A haggard store manager shadowed his arrival. "Our staff was unaware of your coming- In-Ino Yamanaka! Since when did you…? O-oh dear lord, I'm sorry for this mess-"

"Everything is fine," Ino placated sweetly and squinted at the manager's name tag,

"Shiho. I came in disguise and wanted to low-key shop with a friend."

Sasuke observed the room skeptically. "Then consider me 'high-key' unaware that I was entering a war zone." The carnage of dresses strung about the furniture was calamitous for sure. Not to mention the mob of crazed fans outside that were feeling very aggressive at the moment.

"We'll get this cleaned at once." Shiho promised. Then with one ingrained touch of her glasses, she scurried away to mobilize other employees into action.

"No, no! I'll pick everything up when I'm done!" Reassured the rosette inbetween wiggling out of her gown. "It's kind of my bad, anyways."

"Preach. This would've been a _lot_ easier if you were a normal sized adult."

"Watch it, swine flu!"

The tennis celebrity raised an inquisitive brow at the changing stalls. "Sakura's here?"

"I wanted to buy her a new dress as a 'thank you' for saving me." Ino supplied with a shy smile. As always when he was near, she turned uncharacteristically bashful. "Sorry I'm running late… I didn't anticipate shopping this long."

"Well, I think I found the one!" Sakura emerged into the open with her normal attire. She had the prized dress slung over a shoulder and actively tried to avoid eye contact with the others. "Go ahead and enjoy the evening; I'm perfectly able to get home by myself." Talk about an awkward third wheel. Again.

"By playing hop scotch all the way back to Shibuya?" Sasuke mocked.

"Cripple jokes," Sakura brandished a threatening crutch at him, "I won't stand for them."

Ino died a little and slapped her forehead. "First of all, no. Second of all, I'm paying for that dress. Third-," Her phone rang and halted her speech. A picture of her stern manager illuminated the screen. "One sec. Work's calling."

The supermodel disappeared further down the hallway, leaving her friends to themselves.

"So- uh, nevermind." Sakura quickly curtailed her habit of initiating light conversation, remembering Sasuke's words at the awards ceremony. She draped the dress on her wheelchair and started fixing the chaotic area.

To her surprise, Sasuke broke the silence. "How's your leg doing?"

She absentmindedly paused to check the injury. "Not bad, actually. Most of the scrapes started to heal." She calculated whether or not to test her luck at being amicable and sucked in a deep breath. "And what's the verdict on your back?"

"All cleared to play."

She hadn't seen Kabuto since being stuck in a cast. Tsunade immediately banished her to the labs, deeming her unfit to maneuver the serpentine maze that was the general floor. The initial tantrum aside, Sakura admitted that it was a sound decision in hindsight. "That's great! Sky's the limit for practice, then."

"Yeah." Sasuke made himself useful and volunteered with the retail disaster relief. After a brief lull, he revealed what he initially wanted to say. "The kids were inconsolable without you at the orphanage."

"I only missed _two_ sessions!"

"Just goes to show what a flaming trash pile Tenten's pre-calc lessons were."

"To be fair, she warned all of you that math wasn't her forte."

"A _literal_ flaming trash pile."

Sakura chuckled light heartedly at the picture Sasuke illustrated. "I'll be back tomorrow. I had to cancel because it conflicted with my cast fitting."

"Aa."

Ino's hurried footsteps echoed through the hall and she returned with distress written on her face. Powder blue eyes lingered on Sasuke before delivering the bad news.

"Something came up. One of the models at my agency is running a fever and I need to step in for her. The show's starting in an hour!"

"No problem. You need a ride?"

"That's okay, I drove here-,"

Shiho burst into the scene, equally frazzled. "My apologies for the wait - oh! You cleaned up the mess? Heavens, that was our responsibility! We got delayed trying to contain the mob outside, I've never seen such a thing!"

Sasuke inwardly cursed his growing aggro-radius after the Best Breakout Athlete of the Year award. "Please tell me this place has an evacuation plan."

"You're going to need one hell of a plan..." Sakura made an ominous face at the store's front windows. A horde of people besieged the establishment - a phenomenon not unlike the zombie movies Tenten guilted her into watching (and regretting). Her attention flew back to her surroundings to see a fretful Shiho, anxious Ino, and unamused Sasuke. Then in the corner of the room, a long-haired mannequin grabbed her attention.

The tennis star saw the cogs in Sakura's head flare to life and traced her line of vision. Upon discovering the object of interest, he narrowed his eyes into slits. "No. _Hell_ no. Set that thought on fire."

* * *

"For what it's worth-"

"Don't even start."

Sakura could only imagine the pernicious frown Sasuke was wearing. He stood behind her, pushing her wheelchair along, but the sound of unadulterated displeasure could not be any louder. She covered her widening grin with the back of her hand and tried again. "Relax, Ino wears a wig all the time to hide from the press. And it's a pretty good trick, too, considering we're already halfway to your car without anyone noticing you."

"Oi! Sakura!"

The pair screeched to a halt at the familiar voice. Two teens raced at them, causing Sasuke to groan in frustration. Of course nobody recognized him, but who else had pink hair in all of Tokyo?!

Yahiko eased off his sprint until he skidded to a stop in front of them. "What are you doing here? And who- _o-oly shit_!"

Konan arrived a moment later and screamed.

"You- what- hair-" Yahiko spazzed.

"Spare me." Sasuke growled balefully.

"You look like Neji!" The boy blurted, pointing an accusing finger at Sasuke's long raven mane.

"And you look like an active participant in piss me off day."

Meanwhile, Konan was downright staring with her jaw unhinged. Sakura doubled over laughing at their priceless reactions. "Meet Sasuke Uchiha. In a wig."

The girl rubbed her eyes and reopened them, blinking profusely. "Wow, what has been seen cannot be unseen. All I see is Neji now."

If possible, Sasuke's scowl increased. Knowing his caustic sarcasm, Sakura saw the right opportunity to intervene and took it. "I can fix that," she rifled through her purse to find the simple solution, "Here, bend over."

Sasuke stooped down and waited until she pulled out a hair tie. Deftly, the physician cuffed his tresses into a low ponytail and left stray bangs framing his face. "Hm…," she rubbed her chin like a curator critiquing a piece of art, "That actually makes you look really good."

"Go on...,"

Again! That cocky little shit. She totally forgot his hubris and uncanny ability to fluster her! Sakura shielded herself with both arms in a failing attempt to hide an obvious blush.

"What? No! Stop fishing for compliments! That's _so_ unattractive!"

A smug smirk was all it took to tease her further.

"Ya nasty." Yahiko interrupted, showing his tongue in disgust. "Are you two flirting?"

"No. Are you two dating?" The older man snapped back.

" _No_!" Konan choked, vigorously shaking her head, "We're on our way to the Meguro Sun Festival. As friends."

Ironically, the Meguro Sun Festival was an event that Sasuke and Sakura were personally familiar with. Almost seven years had passed since they journeyed there on a date.

"Oh. I didn't realize it was today." The wheelchair-bound woman commented coltishly.

Yahiko bobbed his head to confirm, but not without one last stink eye aimed at Sasuke.

"Yup. So what are you up to? We heard you were hurt."

"Only slightly," Sakura dismissed, motioning at her ankle, "And if you can believe it, we were taking desperate measures to avoid the paparazzi. Oh! You wanna sign my cast?"

"What are you, 12?" Sasuke scoffed.

"Close. 13." She retorted, whipping out a pen for her young friends. Yahiko scribbled his signature - something akin to chicken scratch - next to the artistic origami rose and calligraphy Konan drew.

"We missed you a lot!" The girl trilled, capping her tutor's pen.

"I missed everyone, too." Sakura mangled them into a hug. Yahiko struggled fruitlessly against her vice grip while Konan returned the gesture without complaints.

With time, the strawberry blonde finally wormed his way out of the deadlock and exclaimed, "Hey! You guys wanna come with?"

On the main, Sakura's schedule was free, but Sasuke was also her ride home. Eh, Uber can't be _that_ terrible in a cast, can it? Besides, Shibuya was almost a stone throw away. "I will, but I think Sasuke has to pass."

"Why's that?" The blue haired girl wanted to know.

"It's a shit storm when I'm seen in public."

Konan pursed her lips thoughtfully and then snapped two fingers in an 'ah-ha!' fashion. She stood on her toes to pluck Yahiko's hat off his head and secured it over the celebrity's. "There! That'll hide your face - and your hair already makes you look like a completely different person."

He was about to reject the solution when Yahiko debuted his best puppy dog face. Konan followed his lead and pouted cutely, clasping her hands beneath her chin for added effect.

"Stop that." The athlete warned, barely tolerant of their embarrassing theatrics.

Sakura simply tittered at the teens' antics and affixed him with an expectant stare.

"I can't even look any of you in the eyes right now."

* * *

The Meguro Sun Festival is one of the most popular events in all of Tokyo. It foreshadows the short transition between summer and fall and it boasts an eclectic mix of music, culture, and food. The main attraction, however, is the thousands of fresh saury fish imported from northern Japan that are both charcoal grilled to perfection and free for all participants to eat.

It is no surprise that the event was a trendy scene. A sea of people milled every and which way, aglow with wonder. With all the stimulus and lights, Sasuke easily blended in with the masses.

"They're totally going to date, don't you think?"

Sasuke glimpsed at Sakura - whom he was steering through the throng - but she was busy swooning at the teenagers ahead. Yahiko and Konan were animatedly commentating on everything with the latter pulling the former somewhere new every few seconds. Sasuke drifted his eyes shut. The sight was deja vu at its finest. Here comes the flashbacks.

Effulgent lanterns, jovial crowds. The night of their trip to the festival was distinctly colder, but they had each other. Sakura joked that she disproportionately leached his body heat, but in truth, she provided another sort of heat that warmed his bones. They shared more than just physical touch with their handholding - she prodded him to share his thoughts, too. And, for a reason he didn't care to say, he opened up to her every question.

"No."

The woman balked at his curt dismissal of the romantic possibility. "What?! Seriously, Sasuke? You're blind."

"If by blind you mean not nosy."

"I'm not being nosy!" Sakura renounced defiantly. "As their unofficial big sister, I'm simply looking out for their best interests."

Sasuke snorted at the very Sakura-esque statement. "Surprisingly, your attitude towards incest is both positive and liberal."

Instinctively, she twisted around her seat to smack him. "You know what I mean! What with them being orphans and not having relatives to fuss about normal things. You probably care a lot more than you're letting on."

"It's nothing more than the basic mentor relationship," Sasuke parsed his brain for an adequate analogy, "Think Piccolo and Gohan."

"Do too," Sakura tilted her chin in a style she favored during arguments, "Otherwise you wouldn't have come along, nerd."

"I had nothing to do after my dinner plans were cancelled."

"Right." A stiff silence slipped into their mild conversation. Sakura wasn't about to let it ruin the festive environment, though. "On the topic of dinner, I'm getting kind of hungry. You wanna eat?"

Sasuke shrugged and veered off the main pedestrian walkway to answer her suggestion.

"Hey Konan! Yahiko! Let's sit down for dinner somewhere."

The girl agreed with a thumbs up. "Kay!" She tugged Yahiko by the sleeve to scout for an empty table. They located a spot nearby and beckoned the adults over.

"Well, I'm sufficiently starving." Proclaimed the medic, transferring herself onto the bench while Sasuke parked her wheelchair. She rummaged through her purse to gather a fistful of paper notes, later depositing them in Konan's hands. "Make sure you get at least five grilled sauries, a thing of salted plums, some type of salad, _dango_ \- do NOT forget the dango, and one or two containers of rice."

"Woah…," the girl's eyes grew wide at the yen in her possession, "This is way more than enough for all that!"

"That was only my order. You and Yahiko can get whatever you want with the change and grab some stuff for Sasuke, too."

Christmas looked like it came early for the teens and they expressed as much by glomping her with bear hugs. "You're the best!" They chanted in unison. Even Yahiko's customary knuckleheaded facade was thrown out the window. With ecstatic waves, the teens charged off with money at the ready.

"What?" She asked, finally registering the sardonic stare she was receiving.

"Can you be any less subtle playing cupid?"

"Do you think they noticed?"

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, thoroughly unimpressed, "No - which is even more annoying. You should mind your own business and stop meddling."

Sakura rebuffed his demand with a flick of the wrist. "Can I live? Like really."

The man sighed and resolved to change subjects. "Whatever. I'm getting some beer. You want any?"

"Kirin's Akiaji, please! And if that's not available, then Sapporo Yebisu."

Sasuke inclined his head and silently approved her tastes; he was thinking of buying the same thing. He stalked off to the convenience store and fulfilled the errand without much difficulty.

"Nice!" Sakura applauded upon seeing him return with her top choice brew. "How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing. You covered dinner." He replied nonchalantly, passing a can across the table.

Sakura gratefully accepted the gift and peeled open the metal clip. "Thanks. Come on, let's toast to my meddling."

"And why should I encourage you?"

"Because I got our best friends to go out in the first place. It would've taken decades before either of them owned up to their feelings."

Naturally, since Sasuke was overseas, he didn't witness Naruto making an exceptional fool out of himself courting Hinata. The nurse was a real life saint for consciously subjecting herself to and _loving_ the Idiot. He humored his companion and raised his beer. "I actually can't imagine the amount of patience you exerted dealing with Naruto."

"Hinata wasn't much better. She's the most graceful person on this planet but any mention of his name starts undoing her. There was one time where I'm pretty sure she lost more blood than the patient she was operating on after seeing Naruto shirtless."

Sasuke caught the infectious grin tugging at Sakura's lips. "Being shirtless was probably better than the alternative. That moron called me in the middle of the night to ask me for _fashion advice_ for a date."

She rocked back in her seat in a fit of laughter. "Ha! What'd you do?"

"I told him to stop being a dick and find another set of clothes that didn't resemble my worst nightmare."

"You're such a jerk!"

"And he wasn't?" He defended his advice indignantly. "I woke up to a walking pumpkin spice latte at three o'clock in the morning."

Sakura was cracking up now, oblivious to the weirded stares she was attracting. "I didn't know you did fashion blogging on the side."

Sasuke smirked and brought the beer to his mouth. "It's my second job."

"Speaking of the power couple," she copied his actions and enjoyed another generous sip of the seasonal brew, "Have you made any progress on the wedding? I haven't done anything since securing the floral arrangement."

"Wouldn't expect you to." He glanced at her ankle. "And to answer your question, no, I haven't done anything since Tatadohama Beach. I've been busy."

"What?! You haven't thrown the bachelor's party yet?"

His tone lightened at the mention of that. "I dodged that bullet thanks to Inuzuka."

"Jeez," Sakura didn't bother hiding the knowing upturn of her lips, "Then it's not even a question of _where_ the party's gonna be-"

"It's a matter of which strip club." Sasuke finished, matching her grin. The two shared a chortle over Kiba's devoted bachelor lifestyle. "It's in a couple of days."

"Can Naruto even go? Last time I heard, he's been swamped with work."

"Inuzuka has some random connection to the Idiot's supervisor. I think he pulled some strings through Asuma's wife or something."

"Oh yeah." She suddenly remembered that Kurenai was a close family friend of Kiba's. "Think you'll be able to avoid the reporters, though? Tenten's going to disembowel you if you get caught in some sort of scandal."

"I better change my name and enroll myself in the Witness Protection Program, then."

The pinkette tossed her head back and guffawed at the deadpan nature of his delivery. "This is… nice," she abated her laughter into a lopsided smile, "I bet you forgot what it's like to be normal again."

Any other person wouldn't have been able to detect the changes in Sasuke's mien, but not Sakura. Despite the years apart, the fine details that spoke volumes about him stayed true. Although he seemed to have mastered the technique of controlling his features - a practical weapon used on the court, thanks to Neji - his eyes betrayed his emotions. She saw his irises sharpen to scan the crowd in alarm and the barely there creases at his brows.

Yet not a modicum of attention was drawn their way. The burgeoning sense of relief was palpable with his complete change in body language. Sasuke smirked at her acuity and raised his beer once again. He gulped down the rest of his alcohol in contentment - the gift of anonymity never tasted sweeter.

Sakura opened a new can and slid it towards him, adding with utmost sincerity, "Welcome home, Sasuke."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

I CAN EXPLAIN! I could not even with roller coaster November, but 2017 is almost here. Despite the precarious events of 2016, December is humbling me with the important lesson of hope. Thank you SO MUCH for the reviews and please drop another! This chapter was more relationship development than anything, therefore a tad longer. I've already got an idea for the next installment and can't wait to dive into it! But right after my last grad school app...


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